Forty-eight Instructive Poems in Alphabetical Order (Ehon irohauta 絵本以呂波歌) : [volume 3]

Suzuki, Harunobu, 1725?-1770 · 1788 · Osaka : Kawachiya Yahei, 河内屋八兵衛; Edo : Suharaya Ichibei, 須原屋市兵衛 · 7 pictures

A Japanese woodblock picture book published in 1788 in Osaka and Edo by Kawachiya Yahei and Suharaya Ichibei, with illustrations attributed to Suzuki Harunobu, pairing each kana syllable of an instructive poem with a scene of everyday life. The pages show paired facing spreads of kimono-clad women, men in informal robes, and interiors with tatami floors, sliding screens and verandas, with calligraphic verses set beside the pictures. A designer might take from them the economical layout of text columns against framed vignettes, the spare ink-line figure drawing, and the restrained domestic compositions.

Japanese poetry · Japan -- Social life and customs

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