Masterpieces by Jakuchu, Shiichi Tajima, 1904

Masterpieces by Jakuchu

Shiichi Tajima, Editor, 1904

Tajima, Shiichi (editor):
Masterpieces by Jakuchu with Biographical Sketch of the Artist, Osaka, The Kwansai Photograph Company, 1904, folio (19 x 13 3/8 in - 48.5 x 34 cm), silk covers with beveled edges, tied with blue string, front cover illustrated and with gilt lettering, decorative silk covering on spine, all edges with gilt (top, side & bottom), decorated front and end papers, limitation statement indicates a printing of 2,000 copies, 30 plates (six color woodblock plates and 24 black and white collotype plates), 3 pages of text in English. High quality thick paper stock pages (only one side used) used on all plates. Color woodblock plates are tipped to the page. The collotype plates are printed directly on the page. This volume is devoted to the work Jakuchu Ito. It contains 30 kakemono of flowers and birds which are considered by the editor to be the finest of his work. The plates are consistent in size, all with image areas of approximately 15 x 8 1/4 in - 38 x 19 cm.

Issued with a straw textured folding case.

Wenckstern calls the book Masterpieces of the Jakuchu School (1773-1800) and states:

...one volume of 33 plates, 1904. (Ordinary edition, 2000 numbered copies, 20 yen.) Jakuchu Ito was the best realistic Japanese painter of animals and plants. Ito [and not Jakuchu] is his family name [born 1716], although Jakuchu only is mentioned on the title page.

Wenckstern was incorrect regarding the number of plates. There are 30 plates rather than 33.

The Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry was associated with the printing of this book although the role of that firm in producing the work is unclear to me.

The editor, Shiichi Tajima, was also the editor of Selected Relics of Japanese Art, a 20 volume set published between 1899 and 1908. These set was very similar in composition to this book. It featured prominent Japanese art reproduced in collotype and woodblock. During the period of 1902-7, the The Kwansai Photograph Company produced the collotype plates used in that set.

Text Pages (3 pp) + Table of Contents

List of Plates

Listing of Plates
(Pics of all 6 color plates & some of the black and white plates)

1    Plum-blossoms and Japanese Bush-warblers 
     
     
2    Plum-blossoms and the Moon

3    Plum-blossoms and Cranes 
     
     
4    Peach-blossoms and Fowls

5    Roses and Fowls

6    Peonies and Butterflies 
     
     
7    Pine-tree and Hbuo

8    Pine-tree and Parrots 
     
     
9    A White Peacock under a Pine-tree 
     

10   A Cock and a Hen under a Pine-tree

11   Peonies and Fowls 
     
     
12   Willow Tree and Mandarin Ducks in the Snow
     
     
13   Chamaecyparis obtusa and Golden Pheasants in the Snow 

14   Wild Duck and Reeds in the Snow 
     
     
15   Hydrangeas and Fowls
     
     
16   Sun-flowers and Cock

17   Italian Millet and Tree Sparrows

18   Chrysanthemums beside a Stream
     
     
19   Maple-tree and Fowls

20   Nandiana domestica and Cock
     
     
21   Lotus-flowers and Plecoglossus altivelis
     

22   Gourd-flowers and Insects
     
     
23   Hibiscus fmitabillis and Fowls

24   Trachycarpus Fortunets and Cocks
     
     
25   Fowls: a pair

26   Cocks and Hens
     
     
27   Shell-fish

28   Fishes
     
     
29   Fishes 

30   Tame Goose and Reeds

30 plates total
 
 6 color wood-cuts (noted above in bold)

24 black and white collotypes



Listing of Plates (above repeated but with no illustrations)
1    Plum-blossoms and Japanese Bush-warblers 
2    Plum-blossoms and the Moon 
3    Plum-blossoms and Cranes  
4    Peach-blossoms and Fowls 
5    Roses and Fowls 
6    Peonies and Butterflies  
7    Pine-tree and Hbuo.
8    Pine-tree and Parrots 
9    A White Peacock under a Pine-tree 
10   A Cock and a Hen under a Pine-tree 
11   Peonies and Fowls 
12   Willow Tree and Mandarin Ducks in the Snow 
13   Chamaecyparis obtusa and Golden Pheasants in the Snow 
14   Wild Duck and Reeds in the Snow 
15   Hydrangeas and Fowls 
16   Sun-flowers and Cock 
17   Italian Millet and Tree Sparrows 
18   Chrysanthemums beside a Stream 
19   Maple-tree and Fowls 
20   Nandiana domestica and Cock  `
21   Lotus-flowers and Plecoglossus altivelis 
22   Gourd-flowers and Insects 
23   Hibiscus fmitabillis and Fowls 
24   Trachycarpus Fortunets and Cocks 
25   Fowls: a pair 
26   Cocks and Hens 
27   Shell-fish 
28   Fishes 
29   Fishes 
30   Tame Goose and Reeds 

Size of originals, each 4 feet 9 inches by 2 feet 7 inches; 
painted in thick colours on silk.