Lablab Bean and Crested Ibises: Autumn no. 4

Bairei’s Picture Album of Flowers and Birds

Information

Title Lablab Bean and Crested Ibises: Autumn no. 4 Ajimame toki aki yon 藊豆朱鷺 秋四
Series title Bairei’s Picture Album of Flowers and Birds 楳嶺花鳥畫譜
Artist Kōno Bairei 幸野楳嶺 (1844–1895)
Date 27/12/1883
Publisher Ōkura Magobei 大倉孫兵衛
Woodcarver Yamamoto Shinji 山本信司
Artist seal Bairei 楳嶺
Censorship seal(s) otodoke Meiji jūroku nen jūni gatsu nijūnana nichi 御届明治十六年十二月廿七日 kumiai akashi 組合証 (Guild Certified)
Blockcutter’s (and/or) printer’s) seal(s) horikō Yamamoto Shinji 彫工山本信司
Inscription

(lower margin)

下京第三組玉藏町百三十一番地 筆者 幸野豊 Shimogyō dai-3-gumi Tamakurachō 131 banchi hissha Kōno Toyo (Bairei’s adres in Kyoto, auteur: Kōno Toyo / Bairei’s address in Kyoto, author: Kōno Toyo)

東京日本橋通一丁目十九番地 出版人 大倉孫兵衛 Tōkyō Nihonbashidōri 1-chōme 19 banchi shuppanjin Ōkura Magobei (adres van de uitgever in Tokyo, uitgever:/ publisher’s address in Tokyo, publisher: Ōkura Magobei)

(bottom left margin)

Numbered 1073 一◯七三

Technique & material Woodblock print; full colour print; pigment on paper
Object number SH2023-CB-10
iterature references Complete set: https://pulverer.si.edu/node/816/title
Credit Line Gift of Chris Blom
Provenance Gifted to the Japan Museum SieboldHuis in February 2023 by Chris Blom

Description

From a series of 50 prints that depict and describe flowers and birds in encyclopedic style, divided in the four seasons. The prints were also bound and sold in two sets; one for autumn and winter and one for spring and summer. The series was later reissued without the decorative frame and descriptive texts. This particular set was treated with the technique for making crêpe paper. The process of creating crêpe prints (chirimen) goes as follows: after printing, the sheet is moistened and, together with other sheets, wrapped around a cilinder, after which the roll is compressed. This is repeated from various angles, causing the print to reduce in size and obtains a wrinkly texture. Chirimen were especially popular among the French public in the late 19th century and were exported in great numbers around that time.