著者

染谷 香理

雑誌

美術研究 = The bijutsu kenkiu : the journal of art studies

巻号頁・発行日

no.414, pp.35-57, 2015-02-20

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The author has assembled and analyzed a large number of technical manuals related to Japanese painting. The Enogu saishiki hitorigeiko is one such manual dating to the latter half of the Edo period, and is today in the collection of the University Library, Tokyo University of the Arts. Given the unique characteristics of this book as noted below, this article introduces the book from the author’s stance as a Nihonga painter. The Enogu saishiki hitorigeiko was written by two men, with the first half primarily written by Kansai, an Edo painter, while the notes and second half were written by Shikada Takakiyo, who is unknown except for having lived in Kyoto. The book was published in 1825 (Tenpô 5) by the Edo publisher Bunkokudô. This was a technical manual whose contents were extremely unbalanced. This imbalance can be seen in the fact that of the 23 sections of the main text, the first four sections explain the use of pigments, while the remaining 19 sections note 47 different types of materials and the amount of sizing needed for each of those types. Kanga hitorigeiko (1807) by Miyamoto Kunzan is another technical manual published around the same time that bears the term “hitorigeiko” or self-study guide in its title. Miyamoto’s book presents an exhaustive discussion of the knowledge necessary to paint pictures, namely painting theory, brush methods, picture models, painting materials, and their usage. Thus, a beginning student reading Miyamoto’s book could teach themselves, or hitorigeiko. Conversely, if students only used the Enogu saishiki hitorigeiko book, they could well be totally confused. Changing how sizing is applied depending on the materials and the thickness of paper or such is a general aspect of painting a picture, and because in most instances the differing use of amounts of nikawa (animal glue) and myôban (alum) is not as detailed as noted in this book, it is sure to invite confusion in a beginner student. In addition, because there was absolutely no inclusion in the book of the information that would be essential in a technical manual of the period -- such as the mindset needed to paint a picture, brush methods or the use of picture model books or compilations -- the careful focus on the sizing stage preparatory to painting the actual picture highlights the glaring omission of a section focusing on the details needed to paint a picture. Further, at the end of the section noting how to use pigments, the author writes “I will stop at noting that other than this method there are various means of coloring using pigments, and other secretly transmitted information is noted in detail in section two (dai ni hen).” Regardless, there seems to be no section two. We can imagine that while plans were made to write the second section, in the end it was never published. The facts related to this matter, however, remain unclear. Future research is needed to trace the reasoning behind the incomplete composition of this book and the process by which it was produced.