Genji Yamato ekagami 源氏大和繪鑑 [源氏大和絵鑑]

This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 59 16055.cc.5
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1685
  • Language of Material
    • Japanese
  • Physical Description
    • 2 volumes Condition: Poor to fair. Worm damage (unrepaired) and brown water-stains in both satsu. Impression: Atozuri, from slightly worn blocks. Illustrations: A total of 54 single-page sumizuri woodcuts by Moronobu, printed within large roundels extending the full width of each page. 27 illustrations each in maki 上 and 下, all of which are described and reproduced in Japanese woodcut book illustrations (Strauss, W. and Bronze, C.), vol. 2, pp. 353-408. Seals of ownership: None.

Scope and Content

Variant title: Genji ekagami 源氏繪鏡. Author/compiler:. Illustrator: Hishikawa Moronobu 菱川師宣, 1618-94. Imprint: [Edo] , Urokogataya, Jōkyō 2, 1685. (Moronobu named as illustrator.) Kanki on fol. 28b of maki 下 reads: 貞享二年四月吉日 ／ 大和畫師 ／ 菱河氏師宣筆 ／ 大傳馬町三町目 ／ うろこかたや開板. Description: 2 kan, 2 satsu, in a chitsu case. (Maki 上) ff. 1-14; (maki 下) ff. 15-28. 22.5 x 16 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 16.8 x 12.5 cm. Single-line borders. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text, with some printed furigana and dakuten. Variable no. of lines to page, and short lines of irregular length above illustrations. Original dark blue covers, with original printed title slips on left. Additional wide vermilion title slips, with hand-lettered gedai and design of grasses, have been pasted in centre of each front cover. Gedai: Shinpan (tsunogaki) Genji ekagami jō (ge) 新板 (角書) 源氏繪鏡上 (下). Title from naidai at head of maki 上. Hashiragaki: Genji 源氏 + folio no. Edition: The only known edition of this work. Contents: A picture book (ehon 絵本) illustrating scenes from each of the 54 books of Genji monogatari, with quotations and brief passages of descriptive text above each of the woodcuts. Name of appropriate book of Genji at foot of each page. Preface on fol. 1a and short batsu on fol. 28b.

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Acquired from Rinrōkaku, 29 July 1964.

Other Finding Aids

Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993).C.Japanese works 和書 5.Literature - fiction 国文-小説 a.Early monogatari 古物語

Bibliography

Catalogue of Japanese illustrated books and manuscripts in the Spencer Collection of the New York Public Library, p. 88.