True Depictions of Bird and Flower Pictures (Kachōe shashin zui) : [volume 3]

Kitao, Shigemasa, 1739-1820 · 1805 · Edo: Nishimura Sōshichi 西村宗七, Osaka et al. · 5 pictures

A Japanese woodblock picture book from 1805 by Kitao Shigemasa, published in Edo, showing birds and flowers as sketched studies for artists and craftsmen. The pages are open double spreads with handwritten Japanese poem captions beside each image. A designer could take from them the economy of single-line brush outlines, with birds perched on blossoming branches, peonies and wisteria spaced across the page with generous empty paper.

Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art · No known copyright restrictions · More from this library