Senkeiban Zushiki

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占景盤図式 [Senkeiban Zushiki, “Illustrations of Tray-Landscapes”]

Suminoe, Buzen [bonkei created by]; Suminoe, Aizan [compiled and edited by]; Nagayama, Kōin ... [et al.] [illustrated by]; Tadataka, Katsu [preface by].

Kyōto: Namariya Yasubē; Edo [Tōkyō]: Tsuruya Kiemon; Ōsaka: Kawachiya Tasuke ... [and 3 others], Bunsei 9 [1826].

A complete two-volume set of colour woodblock-printed bonkei illustrations published in the late Edo period. Bonkei (also known as senkeiban), miniature landscape- or garden-displays artfully arranged on small trays, evolved in Japan from Chinese penjing during the Kamakura period (1185–1333). Bonkei often feature miniature buildings and figurines, and are closely related to bonsai, bankei, and saikei.

Senkeiban, a one-volume album of 24 illustrations of bonkei created by artist Suminoe ("Sumie") Buzen (1734-1806), was edited by Buzen's son, Suminoe ("Sumie") Aizan (years unknown), and published around 1808 to commemorate Buzen's creations. The book was re-published in two volumes and with a slightly more pronounced colour scheme in 1826 as Senkeiban Zushiki. Senkeiban Zushiki, this enlarged two-volume edition, has 13 additional illustrations, giving the set a total of 37 illustrations (including 15 double-page and 22 full-page illustrations) and an illustrated title page. Highlights of the enlarged edition include a double-page illustration of small props such as bridges and temples and a full-page illustration of examples of human and animal figurines also used to decorate bonkei. Buzen, also known under the names Dōkan (or Michiyasu) and Shizen, was a pupil of ukiyo-e artist Tsukioka Settei (ca. 1726-1787).

The enlarged edition of an album of Buzen's magical miniature landscapes, with thirteen more illustrations than the first edition.

On double leaves, fukurotoji style. Bindings re-sewn. Original wrappers, worn, with occasional wormholes. Loss to daisen title slips. Small burn mark to upper wrapper and first leaf of v.1. Occasional light stains, mainly to extremities, and small wormholes. Thumbing. Internally very good. 2 v., complete. [18, 17 unpaginated leaves]. Each book measures approx. 26.1 x 18.8 cm. Text in Japanese.

Senkeiban Zushiki
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