Kuwagata Keisai, "Choju Ryakugashiki"

This collection of drawings by Kuwagata Keisai, titled "Choju Ryakugashiki," or "How to Draw Birds, Insects, and Fish Simply," was originally produced in 1797 and served as a manual and guide for artists. The ehon focuses on the economy of effort for artists, detailing a style popularized by Keisai called ryakuga-shiki (abbreviated drawing style), which distills nature as a subject in painting into basic lines, curves, and dots. A wonderful peek at artistic forms during the Edo-period and an inspirational collection of drawings. This volume comes from a reprinted volume.

Note: Plate images are just a sampling from volume available for sale. For more information, please contact us. For reference volume, please view impression at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Date: ca. 1850 (originally issued in 1797)
Contents: Reprinted edition, 25 double pages, fukurotoji binding
Publisher: Yoshikawa Kobunkan
Condition: Very good condition