Ehon Komagatake

Ehon komagatake絵本高麗嶽　
FSC-GR-780.356.1-3
Commentary by Iwakiri Yuriko

Posted April 19, 2017

Original unedited text in Japanese follows

The preface and colophon of Ehon komagatake (A picture book of Mount Koma) are dated 1802 (Kyōwa 2). The preface explains that the publisher Sōzandō 層山堂 (Nishimura Sōshichi) had held onto the designs produced by Kitao Shigemasa over a decade earlier and that these were now being published as Ehon komagatake.

The book contains twenty-one illustrations with explanatory texts about celebrated horses and personages from Chinese and Japanese legend, in addition to four compositions of pastoral horses. Ehon komagatake not only targeted an adult readership but it also served an educational role for children. The order of the images (heroes and their horses) is as follows:

Volume One: Chinese Zhou-dynasty emperor Mu (穆王) and his eight swift steeds (only one is depicted); Minamoto Mitsunaka (源満仲) and Sōryō (総龍); Kan’u (関羽) (C. Guan Yu) and Sekitoba (赤兎馬); Hachimantarō (八幡太郎) and Gentaguro (源太黒); Hatakeyama no Shōji Jirō Shigetada (畠山庄司次郎重忠) and Shiranami (白浪); Hosokawa Kiyouji (細川清氏) and Hakuto (白兎); Kō Seki項王(C. Xiang Ji) of the Chinese Chu kingdom and Sui (騅); and pastoral horses with a young pine tree.

Volume Two: Horses in a field with cherry blossoms; En’ya Hangan Takasada (塩冶判官高貞) and Ryūme (龍馬); Kaku Shigi (郭子儀) (C. Guo Ziyi) and Shishisō (獅子驄); Lady Tomoe (巴御前) and Harukaze (春風); Wada Tsunemori (和田常盛) and Hiteishi (飛蹄子); Chinese Han-dynasty emperor Wu and Kanketsu (汗血); Gentoku (玄徳) (C. Xuan De) and Tekiro (的顱); Taira Munemori (平宗盛) and Nanryō (南鐐); and horses in a field with a pine tree.

Volume Three: Horses in a field with a plum tree; Chinese Tang-dynasty emperor Gensō (玄宗) (C. Xuanzong) and Shōyahaku (照夜白); Oguri Jūrō (小栗十郎) and Onikage (鬼鹿毛); Sasaki Takatsuna (佐々木高綱) and Ikezuki (生ずき); Kajiwara Kagesue (梶原景季) and Surusumi (磨墨); Hōsei (鮑生) and Shishitsuhatsu (柴叱撥); Nakakuni (仲国) and Ōuchishiro (大内白); Minamoto Yoshitsune (源義経) and Tayūguro (大夫黒); and a dutiful son with a horse.

The publisher Nishimura Sōshichi (Sōzandō 層山堂) also issued a version of Ehon komagatake in black ink only. The ownership of the woodblocks was later transferred from Nishimura Sōshichi. It was then published by Okudaya Kashichi 岡田屋嘉七 (Shōkodō尚古堂) and Izumiya Ichibē 和泉屋市兵衛(Kansendō 甘泉堂) and retained the colophon date of 1802.

書名      絵本高麗嶽　

執筆者    岩切友里子

序文と刊記は、享和2年（1802）であるが、序文によれば、書肆層山堂（西村宗七）が重政の10数年前に描いた画稿を保存しており、これを出版したものであるという。

内容は、21図の和漢の名馬の伝説と４図の牧馬図で構成されている。各図は以下の通り。

上巻：題に「八龍」とあるが、周の穆王の八駿のこと、源満仲と総龍、関羽と赤兎馬、八幡太郎と源太黒、畠山庄司次郎重忠と白浪、細川清氏と白兎、楚の項王と騅、小松と牧馬図

中巻：桜に牧馬図、龍馬、郭子儀と獅子驄、巴御前と春風、和田常盛と飛蹄子（ひていし）、武帝と汗血、玄徳と的ろ、平宗盛と南鐐、松と牧馬図

下巻：梅に牧馬図、玄宗皇帝と照夜白（しょうやはく）、小栗十郎と鬼鹿毛（おにかげ）、佐々木高綱の生ずきと梶原景季の磨墨（するすみ）、鮑生と柴叱撥（ししつはつ）、仲国と大内白、源義経と大夫黒、孝子の馬

ほかに、色摺のない墨摺本も知られる。また、後に西村宗七から板木が移り、岡田屋嘉七と和泉屋市兵衛によって出版されている。

Copies in other collections:

British Museum, London

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

National Diet Library, Tokyo
Tokyo National Museum

University of Tokyo