Title: Kokon Meisho Roku (Famous Generals of Past and Present), Circa 1800-1860. 61 Pages of Hand Colored Illustrations of Notable Generals and Warlords from the Heian to Edo Period.
Condition: Very Good
A Late Edo Period, early to mid 19th century manuscript entitled Kokon Meisho Roku, or roughly, Famous Generals of Past and Present.
As the manuscript entails, it contains 61 pages of hand-colored illustrations, all depicting the lives of outstanding military commanders and warlords from the Heian to Early Edo Period. There is a considerable focus of many famous commanders who were active during the Late Muromachi Period, more specifically, the Sengoku Jidai.
Beginning with the first Kamakura Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, the manuscript features many other notable lords and officers such as Minamoto no Yoshinaka and Kikuchi Takemitsu, with some being portrayed as full-page examples, whilst other pages might feature several grouped together. There are some battle scenes, and most of the figures have been drawn in a rather lively and whimsical manner, many of the lords and warriors sporting smiles or comical frowns. Given the number of scribbles by a child, perhaps this manuscript was produced to entertain or entertain the youth of a particular family. The manner of illustrations and some of the depictions do remind me of the Honcho Hyakushoden, also known as The Hundred Heroes.
A prior owner has applied some restoration wok to the binding, with spine and rear cover repairs. All the pages have been re-mounted on later paper as well.
One manuscript in octavo (22.5 x 16.1 cm), 60 pages
This manuscript is in very good shape, with some old wear and tear to the front cover. There is some soiling, heavier to the lower corners, a few ink stains, and a child has added later scribbles to some of the illustrations, marring several faces and adding extra details to other figures.