Fine Asian Art

426

ALBUM CONTAINING 17 PLATES BY THE ARTIST UTAGAWA TOYOKUNI I, Japan, Meiji period 1900 ca.

l cm 57 x w cm 39

The album illustrates one of the representative works by the renowned Japanese novelist Takizawa Bakin (1767–1848), Musō Byōe Kochō Monogatari, published in 1810. This novel is a quintessential example of ukiyo-e literature from the Edo period, rich in fantastical elements and imbued with philosophical depth.

Through a refined and symbolic narrative, the work delves into themes of the human condition, fate, and the delicate boundary between illusion and reality. It reflects the Edo period’s worldview, marked by an awareness of life’s transience and a deep introspective spirit. Musō Byōe Kochō Monogatari not only shaped the literary landscape of its time but also left a lasting influence on later Japanese literature and even world literature.