[EHON] KEISAI Masayoshi ????, artist — Ryakugashiki ???

18. [EHON] KEISAI Masayoshi ????, artist. RYAKUGASHIKI ???. Edo, Kyoto, & Osaka. Originally published in Edo by Suharaya Ichibei in 1795, this version has a colophon zodiacally dated to 1813. A very nice, skillful printing with wonderful colors that may point to a printing date in the late 1820s. The rear inside cover pseudo-colophon lists 6 bookshops as sales agents, 4 in Edo, 1 each in Kyoto and Osaka. Soiled cream yellow covers, string-bound Japanese style, fukuro-toji, with a printed paper title label. 24.9 x 17.6 cm. Perhaps the most interesting of all Masayoshi's RYAKUGASHIKI (simple drawing books), the humanity of his figures drawn in brief are arresting and witty and betray a mordant sense of humor. The covers are a bit soiled. The contents are in very good condition, good or better impression. Great fun! A nice early and worthy example of this book. .