Title: Nōkō Fūzoku Ekotoba Makimono (Illustrated Scroll of Agricultural Customs), Circa 1650-1700. A Sumptuously Produced Handscroll on Rice Cultivation, Beautifully Illuminated, with Six Vibrantly Colored, Large Paintings, including Book Production
Author: Style of the Kano School
Condition: Very Good
An Early to Mid Edo Period, Mid 17th to 18th century emakimono handscroll, dubbed Nōkō Fūzoku Ekotoba Makimono, or an Illustrated Scroll of Agricultural Customs.
As the title would entail, the manuscript focuses on the production, harvesting, and repurposing of agricultural goods, in this case, being rice and wheat. The scroll depicts the cycle of rice growing, along with other activities including festivals, various rituals, and how these goods are transformed into materials such as paper and bulger.
The emakimono alternates between text written in a fine calligraphical hand, and six rather large and impressive paintings. The scroll has been beautifully painted and decorated with clouds of golden flakes to the borders of each painting and decorating the text throughout. The vestments and clothing of most of the figures have also been enhanced with gold, making them shine and distinctly stand out. There is considerable effort placed into the coloring and detail to everything, from the facial expressions to the surrounding buildings, the verdant landscapes, and even the bordering waters, with detailed ripples and waves. Much of the skill displays is very much in the style of the Kano School, with large, detailed trees, and vibrant hillscapes.
The first painting opens with a detailed scene of a gathering of household members, court nobles, and laborers carrying out a Shinto ritual, while an ox is also being prepared to help carry heavy loads, with rope ties being prepared on its body.
The second painting depicts a Shinto ritual amongst the fields, being carried out by the household and possibly the lord himself, with an offering being made to possibly bless the fields for a good crop.
The third painting displays numerous workers, tilling the fields, or transporting materials, next to the waters.
The fourth painting depicts a scene of yosakoi dancers merrily dancing in front of a building, while several women look on. This is somewhat reminiscent of the Akiu no Taue Odori, or Rice Planting Dance, and may be something similar.
The fifth painting shows men and women taking gathered bales of wheat, to be prepared and possibly turned into bulger, from the looks of it, with a few chickens in the background.
The sixth and final painting shows a grouping predominantly of women at the castle grounds taking the rice pulp and turning it into paper, with a large kiln, and various stations for preparing the paper, as well as creating crafts with it, or binding them as books.
The paintings and text have been laid down and bound in a scroll for preservation, with a beautiful brocade decorated cover of swirling designs again green, and there are jikusaki (knobs).
One brocade bound emakimono (picture scroll) on paper, roughly 24.2 x 740 cm full size. The knobs are not included as part of the measurement.
This emakimono is in very good shape, with minimal rubbing and wear to the brocade fabric. There is a small scrape near the beginning, with partial loss of one character and a bit of gold, and minor creasing throughout. The page edges have some wear and a bit of chipping. There is a small worm track to the first quarter of the scroll. There is very light, scattered spotting and soiling throughout, but so very little that it blends in quite well with the golden sprays itself.