Utagawa Kuniyoshi (after), "Kyoga Zushiki, Kuniyoshi Ibo"

This marvelous volume, entitled "Kyoga Zushiki, Kuniyoshi Ibo," is a posthumous collection of comical sketches drawn from Kuniyoshi's extensive works on "The Water Margin," or Suikoden, a popular classic novel originally from China. Compiled by the publisher Shoshi and printed by Izumoji Manjiro, this posthumous homage to Kuniyoshi mainly derives its subjects from Kuniyoshi's "Comical Representation of the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden" series of woodblock prints published ca. 1830, of which an example we have available at Tokaido Arts can be found here.

Date: 1887
Contents: 16 double pages, fukurotoji binding
Publisher: Shoshi
Condition: Missing title slip on front cover (daisen), otherwise very good condition

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) is one of Japan's greatest masters of ukiyo-e printmaking from the Edo period. Many of Kuniyoshi's works are regarded today as archetypes of woodblock prints produced during the Edo period and highly prized by collectors.