A Collection of 12 pages of Gouache Paintings of Insects of Reptiles

Manuscript, 12pp. of gouache paintings, on fine cloth pages, calligraphic labels in Japanese next to each specimen, tipped into a modern binding with a gilt appliqué border, 150 x 230mm, c.1880

This album contains illustrations of moths, butterflies , dragonflies, a spider, a stag beetle, a lady bird, a wasp, lizards, frogs and toads, cicadas, grasshoppers, hornets, a cockroach, a centipede, and the full life cycle of a silkworm, executed by a skilled artist in gouache.

This was produced during the Meiji period, an important time for Japanese art. In 1868 the restoration of imperial rule in Japan brough the Edo shogunate to an end, and marked the start of the Meiji era, which would last until the death of Emperor Meiji in 1912. During this brief period Japan transformed itself from an isolated feudal nation to a world power. The historic skills of Japan’s traditional arts played a vital part in the struggle to compete in international markets.

The masterpieces of Meiji art, in a unique style blending the best of traditional design with prevailing international taste, are unrivalled in the quality of their craftsmanship and were avidly sought by Western collectors. The blending of styles can be seen in this album of illustrations which were most likely produced for export. The addition of the european-style gilt border exemplifies this.