絵本水や空
An 1780 Japanese illustrated picture book (ehon) drawn by Jichōsai and published by Hachimonjiya Hachizaemon in Kyoto, likely aimed at general urban readers of the period. Its pictures show kabuki actors in stylised poses with names written beside them, rendered in simple woodblock-printed line and flat tone. A designer could take from them the economical contour line, patterned kimono textures and expressive gestural poses of Edo-period graphic art.
