Kyosen Kawasaki - Old Japanese Toy Paintings

Kyosen Kawasaki Old Japanese Toy Paintings / 9784861524455 / Seigensha

A nice little book (about 4.25 x 5.75 inches, so very compact), about 330 pages. Text is Japanese, but the book is mostly images.

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Local toy painter Kawasaki Kyosen (1877-1942) was an artist who worked during the Meiji and Showa periods drawing pictures of traditional toys he found in localities throughout Japan. Kyosen left 52 Gangucho sketchbooks that contain pictures of more than 5,000 different types of objects including not only local traditional toys but also lucky charms and products specific to localities. This book presents a collection of some of the best old Japanese toy paintings from Kyosens Gangucho.