STUDIO KAWAHARA KEIGA (c. 1786-1860)
 

Edo period, mid 19th century
 

An extremely rare collection of twenty-four paintings of fish with their names attached in Japanese katana syllabary script.

Ink and colour on Dutch paper (Van Gelder & Co).

H. 26 x W. 41.5 cm each

 

Two earlier sets of fish paintings by Ishizaki Yushi (1768 – 1846) and Kawahara Keiga (1786 – c. 1860) are in the collection of the Museum of World Cultures in Leiden (inv. 360-4983/1. Fisher collection). Drawings kept in Keiga’s studio in Nagasaki, could be copied to order by him and his assistants. In the collection of the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, there is a self-portrait by Keiga working, either as an assistant of Yushi or with two assistants of his own in his studio. It is known that Von Siebold gave Keiga Dutch paper by Van Gelder & Co to work on. The present set of fish paintings on Van Gelder & Co paper consists of copies of Keiga’s paintings, copied by him and or his assistants.

 

Names:  Japanese name                English name          

           

1. Gigame  (Gingame)            Bigeyetrevally

            2. Hiuo(Anakamada)            Ice goby

            3. Kennouso                           Picked dogfish

            4. Arakabu (Kasago)             False kelpfish

            5. Beni-mebaru                     Red bigeye

            6. Ha-katsuo                          Striped bonito

            7. Sazaiwari (Nekozame)     Bull-head shark

            8. Saba-fugu                          Smooth blaasop

            9. Yagara-uo (Aoyagara)      Bluespotted cornefish

            10. Umi-namazu (Itachiou) Coastsbeard brotula

            11. Shio-ei (Akaei)                Whip stingray

            12. Itoyori (Itoyoridai)         Golden threadfin bream

            13. Koban-uo (Kobanzame) Live shark sucker

            14. Megan (Budai)                Japanese parrotfish

            15. Beni-metai (Madai)        Red seabream

            16. Tosa-anko                       Blackmouth angler

            17. Etsuya-katsuouma         Kawakawa

            18. Itoyori (Kue)                   Longtooth grouper

            19. Kitamakura (Torafugu) Japanese pufferfish

            20. Sawara (Bashokajiki)     Ino-pacific sailfish

            21. Kanagashira (Hobo)       Spiny red gurmad

            22. Fuose-fuka (Kasuzame) Japanese anglershark

            23. Ma-fugu                           Purple puffer

            24. Hirasu (Buri)                  Japanese amberjack

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