Title: Shinsen Heika Zui (New Selection of Illustrated Flower Arrangement), Circa 1750-1800. A Mid to Late Edo Period Manuscript Copy of Yamanaka’s Work on Ikebana School of Flower Arrangment, with 100 Hand Painted, Full-Page Illustrations
Author: After Chuzaemon Yamanaka; Copied by Yoshiharu Murasugi
Condition: Fair
A Mid to Late Edo Period, 18th to 19th century manuscript edition of Chuzaemon Yamanaka’s Shinsen Heika Zui, also known as the New Selection of Illustrated Flower Arrangement.
As the title would entail, this is a handwritten copy of Yamanaka’s work on the popular school of flower arrangements, first published in 1698. There are arrangements by figures such as Ikenobō, Senyō, and Untai, who were active around 1650 to 1700.
This work is stupendously illustrated, with 100 full page, hand painted depictions of various flower arrangements in vases, all lovingly rendered to resemble the original, published, work. The artist Yoshiharu Murasugi is not a name I recognize.
Two manuscripts in folio (33.2 x 26 cm), 25, 24 leaves
These manuscripts are in fair shape, with heavy wear, worming, and staining to the covers. There is considerable worming throuhgout, heaviest to the outer margins, but occasionally affecting an illustration. There is some staining to the margins as well, heaviest to the first volume.