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GABIMARU, Gessai (dates unknown)

Miyako no hana ('Blossoms of the Capital')

Not much is known of the artist, GABIMARU Gessai; he may have been a pupil of  EISHI and/or UTAMARO. "He is not known to have designed any single-sheet prints, but in the book field shows himself as an artist of an enterprisingly wide range of subjects, which makes one wonder why no publisher managed to persuade him to turn his talent to single-sheet prints." He designed books and made paintings depicting beautiful women in the ukiyo-e style, but at the same time there are works by Gabimaru which are more Kano style than ukiyo-e. "It is as a shunga artist that he really made his mark, showing an almost fastidious handling of erotic scenes that is oddly premonitory of certain Meiji artists' shunga. Eishi was one of those artists of the Kansei period who sought elegance by elongating the figures, and Gabimaru emulated him in this respect, introducing forms of a positively mannerist slenderness, especially accentuated by the high crowning balloon of hair that fashion decreed during his period of activity." (J. Hillier, op.cit,)

Published: c. 1800 Size: koban double-page  (c. 10. 5 x 28. 5 cms / c. 4 1/8" x 11 1/4") each Condition: Fine impression and color, very good to fine condition. Very rare.

Reference: Jack Hillier, "The Art of the Japanese Book"; London, 1987; vol. I, pp. 456-60; pl. 304 & 305.

ref. no. # 61 1946-4 Price: € 850.00

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