Hiroshige

1877 · 186040 — Tokyo: Okura Magobee 10 August 1877. Vivid scenes of industry from across Japan A striking set of prints produced at the time of the First National Industrial Exhibition 1877 an event designed to promote Japanese local craftmanship and encourage a growing export industry. This example shows tatami mat production in Bingo Hiroshima indigo farming in Awa Tokushima camphor logging in Hyuga Miyazaki and whaling in Iki Nagasaki. The First National Industrial Exhibition was held from 21 August to 30 November 1877 with a total of 16172 exhibitors showing 84353 items. "In anticipation of the event the government clearly stated its interest in encouraging the growth of export industries and requested that every prefecture in Japan participate in the exhibition suggesting that the domestic fairs were intended to provide a survey of the products and industries of the entire country and to offer a venue for assessing which of those products might be suitable for export" Lavenberg. At the same time Utagawa Hiroshige III 1842-1894 released approximately 120 prints showing local industries across Japan. He was known for his representations of Meiji period society and was one of the most popular artists of his age. Only 118 of the Dai nihon bussan zue prints survive representing 58 provinces. These were sold as individual sheets that could be bound into books with each book containing a different number and configuration of prints. The 30 prints in this example cover 14 provinces stretching from Hokkaido in the north to Hyuga in the south. The construction of the books mean that splits are often found along the central joints such as in the copy held by the British Museum 197307230.116. Octavo concertina-style. With 30 double-page colour woodblock prints; text in Japanese. Original patterned paper boards decorated with scenes of Japanese cranes red printed paper label on front board. Housed in grey archival box. Contemporary price sticker on one print. Boards a little creased and abraded prints bright with some light foxing in margins some split along central fold as usual: a very good example. "Dai Nippon Bussan Zue Products of Greater Japan 1877" The Lavenberg Collection of Japanese Prints 2018. hardcover