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[SKETCHTOUR GENRE] Fukuda Bisen, artist : SHINA TAIKAN

[SKETCHTOUR GENRE] Fukuda Bisen, artist. SHINA TAIKAN. Tokyo, Taisho 6 "Saihan" ["Second Impression"] 1917. 2 volumes, oblong folio, 23. 4 x 31. 4 cm. Scott Johnson in his seminal article on the skecthtour genre in ANDON 37, has called this work "the most ambitious of all the sketch-tour books. " It is a remarkable tour de force of printing, full of wonderful illustrations of contemporary China, including many full color woodcuts, printed by the estimable Nishimura Kumakichi. It is well known that Kanao Tanejiro, the publisher, suffered financially because of the investment he made in this book, which never so in any quantity because of the huge price he was forced to place on it: 35 Yen. Our copy would appear to be one of the re-issued versions which saw the light of day a few months after the Kanao Bun'endo issue was released. The colophon credits Tokyo Times of Tokyo as the publishing house, while acknowledging Kanao as the publisher. Kanao had relationships throughout the newspaper business and this must have represented an effort to salvage his business (at least one other copy exists from the same time with the colophon crediting yet another newspaper publisher). This set is hardly ever found, and when found the lovely woodblock-printed covers have usually suffered. Our copy has the original wraparound chitsu case, repaired and a bit soiled. Some internal foxing, but overall a good set, complete, of one of the most important works of the Sketchtour genre:, Good

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