The Righteous Samurai Collection, 12 volumes out of 16, - lithographic edition, 2 volumes with a total of 60 lithographies and 3 woodblocks; many penmanship calligraphy
Gishi Taikan 義士大觀), 1920
"The Telling of the Story of the Forty-Seven Rōnin Through Pictures and Text as Published by the Righteous Samurai Society"
Publisher: Gishikai Shuppanbu 義士會出版部 (Gishi Kai Publishing Department)
In 1920, Gishi Taikan was published both in woodblock and lithography edition.
1edition woodblock 1920 - 4 volumes and same year a 16 booklet- edition, each booklet containing 5 prints.
1edition lithography 1920 - THIS ONE here for auction - a 16 volumes (out of which 12 volumes here) exact reproduction of the original woodblock volumes. Both editions are considered extremely rare and practically extinguished from the market, due to the very limited copies - 200 for the woodblock print and probably 400 for the litho edition. Separate single sheet prints occasionally appear on the market.
Full history of the volumes, very detailed, with full size scans here: https://www.moreofmyjapanesehanga.com/home/articles-on-japanese-prints/the-righteous-samurai-collection-gishi-taikan
Full list on authors and titles @the link above.
First published in a limited edition of 200 copies in March 1920 (Taishō 9) by Gishikai Shuppanbu 義士會出版部, the publishing house of the Chūō Gishikai 中央義士会 (Central Office of the Righteous Samurai Society), Gishi Taikan 義士大観 (義士大觀) is the story, “according to historical facts”, of the 1701/1703 Akō Incident 赤穂事件, popularly known as Chūshingura 忠臣蔵 (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) and Shijūshichishi 四十七士 (The Forty-Seven Rōnin), told through eighty woodblock prints and accompanying text. The historical persons and incidents portrayed in the prints include both those involved in the Akō Incident itself and related events, real and fictional.
The woodblock prints were issued in both book form, consisting of four volumes with commentary and calligraphic tributes (see Figure 4A for an example of one such tribute) and in sixteen individual bound booklets each containing five prints. The woodblock prints in the four volume book are arranged in a rough chronological order of events, starting with a woodblock print depicting Chiyoda Castle (Figure 1), the scene of Lord Asano Naganori's attack on Lord Kira, the shogun's master of ceremonies, during New Year ceremonies at the castle, continuing with prints illustrating the motivations and activities of the Righteous Samurai leading to their attack on Kira's residence and his murder, with emphasis on the leader of the Righteous Samurai, Ōishi Yoshio 大石良雄, through to the bakufu's ordered suicide of the Righteous Samurai. Each print in the book is preceded by an explanation of the scene being depicted, authored by the historian and ultranationalist Fukumoto Nichinan 福本一誠 [福本日南] (1857-1921), and one or two pages written in calligraphy, paying tribute to the Righteous Samurai by a notable personage.
The woodblock prints were commissioned from eighty “leading painters of the day” from various artistic schools, each of whom contributed a single design.[5] While some of the artists had previously designed woodblock prints, for many this may have been their first foray into woodblock print design. Other than a reference to the prints being created using "advanced woodblock techniques" allowing "each artist's unique use of color and brushwork" to be faithfully reproduced, there appears to be no record of the names of the woodblock carver and printer commissioned by the Gishikai Shuppanbu to create these masterful works from the artists' input
Condition: the paper is thick handmade for high quality printing. 3 volumes have torn and very damaged covers. The covers of these 3 volumes are very brittle, a simple bending can tear them in pieces. Any damage can be seen in photos. Other than that, the prints themselves are excelent, occasional yellowish due to age and very few spots of foxing.
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Enjoy this truly rare aparition on the market!
