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Tōkei Picture Album (Tōkei gafu, fusatsu), Supplementary Series

Ogura, Tōkei, active 18th century · 1809 · 10 pictures

A Japanese woodblock picture album of landscape sketches by Ogura Tōkei, issued in 1809 as a supplementary series for artists and students. The double-page spreads show ink-line mountains, pines, rocky cliffs, thatched pavilions and small figures in sparse, economical brushwork on pale paper. A designer could take its spare linework, open negative space and fluid tree and rock contours as a model for minimal botanical or landscape graphics.

Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art · No known copyright restrictions · More from this library