Haribako-E Catalog


Introduction

Haribako-e were early hand colored prints designed to be cut out and pasted as decoration onto sliding doors, folding screens, or sewing-boxes (hence the name - haribako literally means "needle-box"; sewing-boxes, generally lacquered, with many small drawers, were often part of a woman's dowry). In a similar manner, since the late 16th century it had been the fashion to paste folding fans onto doors and screens. Haribako-e were a very ephemeral fashion; they appeared in the late 1720's, and after the early 1730's they were seen no more.

The subjects were usually landscapes with small figures, but other subjects, such as Genji are also encountered; the latter continued a long tradition of decorating domestic objects with Genji-related imagery. They come in two different shapes; the so-called 'fan' shape, and 'kidney' shaped. Both formats are actually fan-shaped, in the sense that they are both representing two different uchiwa contours that were 'en vogue' in the 18th century. Most are produced using the hand-coloured urushi-e technique, although some also had areas of metallic power applied. The cloudy areas outside the main cartouche were produced using a technique known as fuki-bokashi or fuki-e.

This page attempts to catalog all known haribako-e (although it is by no means complete).
Note: If you know of any haribako-e that aren't listed here, please let me know (and scans are really appreciated, so that I don't have to track down the reference).

The Series

The following sections list all known haribako-e series.

Note: Dates are as given in the sources; most of these are likely not to be relied upon. 






Artist
Date
Series





Shigenaga and Kiyomasu II
ca. 1730-1735

	'Genji Gojūyomai no Uchi (Genji in Fifty-Four Sheets)'





Kiyoharu
ca. 17??

	'Eight Famous Views of Kamakura'





Kiyomasu II
ca. 1730

	'Mu Tamagawa Rokukei no Uchi (Six Views of the Crystal Rivers)'





Kiyomasu II
ca. 1735

	'Yoshiwara Hakkei, Hachi mai no Uchi (Eight Views of the Yoshiwara)'





Kiyomasu II
ca. 1740

	Unknown 'One Hundred Poets' series





Kiyomasu II
ca. 1730

	Unknown historical series





Kiyonobu II
ca. 17??

	'Edo Hakkei, Hachi mai no Uchi (Eight Famous Views of Edo)'





Kiyonobu II
ca. 17??

	'Shinpan Edo Hakkei (Newly Published Eight Views of Edo)'





Kiyonobu II
ca. 17??

	Eight Famous Views of Edo series





Masanobu
ca. 1740

	'Genji Gojūyon Mai no Uchi' (Genji in Fifty-Four Sheets)





Masanobu
ca. 1730

	'Nana Komachi uta-e Zukushi (A Collection of Poems for Seven Beauties)'





Shigenobu
ca. 17??

	'Nana Komachi no uchi (Seven Stages {in the life} of
	Ono no Komachi)'





Toshinobu
ca. 1730

	'Shiki no Asobi (Pleasures of the Four Seasons)'





Unknown, style of Kiyomasu II
Late 1720's - early 1730's

	Unknown series of eight views





Unknown, style of Kiyomasu II
Early 1730's

	Unknown series of seven stages in the life of Ono no Komachi





Unknown, attributed to Kiyomasu II
ca. 1730

	Unknown series of four seasons













The Prints


The following sections list all known haribako-e, with one section for each
series (they were almost all printed as part of a series). A few odd prints
are included at the end.








Shigenaga and Kiyomasu II, 'Genji Gojūyomai no Uchi
	(Genji in Fifty-Four Sheets)'


Printed: ca. 1730-1735


Publisher: Izumyi-ya Gonshirō of Dobo-machi




According to Waterhouse ("Images of Eighteenth Century Japan"), the first 26
prints of this Genji-series were designed by Shigenaga, and the rest by
Kiyomasu II.




The
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
has six prints by Shigenaga from this series which are not yet illustrated in
their online database. They are:










Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#2, "Hahakigi (The Broom Tree)"
Museum of Fine Arts - William Sturgis Bigelow Collection;
	11.19131






  
#18, "Matsukaze (The Wind in the Pines)"

Museum of Fine Arts - William Sturgis Bigelow Collection;
	11.19132, 11.13334


Timothy Clark et al, "The Dawn of the Floating World 1650-1765",
	Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2001; #102, #103, pp. 246-248
  		






  
#27, "Kagaribi (Flares)"






  
#28, "Dai nijūhachi-ban Genji Nowake (The Typhoon)"
Siegfried Salzmann, Andreas Kreul, "Szenen aus dem Alten Japan: Japanische
	Farbholzschnitte aus eigenem Besitz", Kunsthalle, Bremen, 1993;
	#11, #12, pp. 38ff
  






  
#31, "Dai sanjūichi-ban Genji Makibashira"






  
#32, "Umegae"
Rose Hempel, "Gems of the Floating World: Ukiyo-e Prints from the
	Dresden Kupferstich-Kabinett", Japan Society, New York, 1995;
	#5, pp. 26-27
  






  
#6, "Dai Roku-ban Genji Suetsumuhana (The Safflower-Princess)"
"Japanese and Chinese Prints: The Walter Amstutz Collection",
		Sotheby's, Tokyo, 1991; #28, pp. 64-65
  






  
#39, "Yūgiri"
Philadelphia Museum of Art; 31-54-85

David Waterhouse, "Early Japanese Prints in the Philadelphia Museum of Art",
	University of Toronto, Toronto, 1983; #14, pp. 28
  		






  
#15, "Dai Jūgo-ban Genji Yomogiū (The Overgrowth of
	Weeds)"
Art Institute of Chicago - Buckingham collection; (1927.1381)
  
Margaret O. Gunsaulus, "The Clarence Buckingham Collection of Japanese
	Prints: Volume I - The Primitives", Art Institute of Chicago,
	Chicago, 1955; #16, pp. 191-192
  
Howard Link, "Ukiyo-e Prints and Paintings of the Primitive Period",
	AIC, 1971; #179, pp. 119
  		






  
#34, "Wakana no Jō"
"Genshoku Ukiyo-E Daihyaaka Jiten 3", Tokyo, 1982;
	#229
  






  
#13, "Akashi"
Rose Hempel, "Ukiyo-e: Die Kunst der Heiteren Vergänglichen Welt, Japan
	17.-19. Jahrhundert - Sammlung Scheiwe",
	Villa Hugel, Recklinghausen, 1972;
	#34-#37, pp. 28
  






  
#15, "Yomogiū (The Overgrowth of Weeds)"






  
#16, "Sekiya"






  
#39, "Yūgiri" (Note: The text says print #37 is chapter 38, but
	that is incorrect.)






#13, "Akashi"
  
#14, "Miozukushi"
  
#17, "Eawase"
  
#29, "Miyuki"
  
#47, "Agemaki"		
David Waterhouse, "Images of Eighteenth Century Japan",
	Royal Ontario Museum, 1975;
	pp. 81-87, pp. 34-37
  














Kiyoharu, 'Eight Famous Views of Kamakura'


Publisher: Tsuru-ya Kiemon




Fan-shaped (uneven numbers) and kidney shaped (even numbers).




The UMIEC notes say that only 3 images are known from this set, and that
this is the only known haribako-e series by him; the views are
apparently actually of Kanazawa, not Kamakura.







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#4, "Evening Glow at Noshima/Nojima" (different references give different
	names)
British Museum; 1926.5-11.010

"Ukiyo-E Masterpieces in European Collections: British Museum II",
	Kodansha, New York, 1988; #12

Lawrence Smith, "Ukiyoe: Images of Unknown Japan",
	British Museum, London, 1988; #24, pp. 49
  		






  
#7, "A Fine Day at Suzaki"
British Museum; 1926.5-11.011

"Ukiyo-E Masterpieces in European Collections: British Museum II",
	Kodansha, New York, 1988; #13
  		














Kiyomasu II, 'Mu Tamagawa Rokukei no Uchi (Six Views of the Crystal Rivers)'


Printed: ca. 1725-1735







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#4, "Kii no Tamagawa Kobo Daishi (Kobo Daishi at the Tama River in Kii Province)"
Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco; 1969.42.1
  















Kiyomasu II, 'Yoshiwara Hakkei, Hachi mai no Uchi (Eight Views of
	the Yoshiwara)'


Printed: ca. 1735


Publisher: Igaya, of Motohama-cho




The Amstutz collection notes indicate that another one, #7 in the series,
is illustrated in GUDJH Volume III (pl. 250), but that that one is also
kidney-shaped. Perhaps in this series the first four were fan-shaped, and
the last kidney-shaped?







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#2, "Edo-cho no Yau"

"Japanese and Chinese Prints: The Walter Amstutz Collection",
	Sotheby's, Tokyo, 1991; #8, pp. 38
  






  
#6
"Ukiyo-E Taikei I", 1974; pp. 76
  














Kiyomasu II, Unknown 'One Hundred Poets' series


Printed: ca. 1740




This is apparently from a series depicting the '100 Poets', although no other
designs are known.







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#14, Kawara Sadaijin
Philadelphia Museum of Art; 46-66-4

David Waterhouse, "Early Japanese Prints in the Philadelphia Museum of Art",
	University of Toronto, Toronto, 1983; #15, pp. 31
  		














Kiyomasu II, Unknown historical series


Printed: ca. 1730


Publisher: Sagamiya Yohei




This is apparently from a series depicting celebrated historical incidents,
although no other designs are known.







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  

#?, "Momiji-gari (The Maple-viewing Expedition)"

"Japanese and Chinese Prints: The Walter Amstutz Collection",
	Sotheby's, Tokyo, 1991; #9, pp. 39
  














Kiyonobu II, 'Edo Hakkei, Hachi mai no Uchi (Eight Famous Views of
	Edo)'


Fan-shaped (uneven numbers) and kidney shaped (even numbers).








Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#1, "Kannon no seiran (Clearing weather at the Kannon Temple)"
Birgit Mayr, Sasaki Toshikazu, "Bestandskatalog Japanischer
  Kulturgüter in Deutschland: Vol. I - Collection Heidelberg",
  Kokusho Kankokai, Tokyo, 2003;
  #9.1 - #9.8, pp. 27






  
#2, "Ryōgoko no sekishō (Sunset glow at Ryōgoku Bridge)"






  
#3, "Emonzaku no yoru no ame (Night rain at Emonzaka)"






  
#4, "Sumidagawa no rakugan (Descending geese at the Sumida River)"






  
#5, "Shinagawa no kihan (Returning sails at Fukagawa)"






  
#6, "Ueno banshō (Evening bell at Ueno)"






  
#7, "Kinryūsan no bosetsu (Twilight snow at Kinryūzan Temple)"






  
#8, "Atago no aki no tsuki (Autumn moon at Mount Atago)"






  
#6, "Ueno banshō (Evening bell at Ueno)"

Private collection
  















Kiyonobu II, 'Shinpan Edo Hakkei (Newly Published Eight Views of
	Edo)'


This seems to be a later printing of the above, with a recarved title
cartouche.







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#1, "Kannon no seiran (Clearing weather at the Kannon Temple)"
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - William S. and John T. Spaulding Collection;
  RES.21.428 - RES.21.435
  






  
#2, "Ryōgoko no sekishō (Sunset glow at Ryōgoku Bridge)"






  
#3, "Emonzaku no yoru no ame (Night rain at Emonzaka)"






  
#4, "Sumidagawa no rakugan (Descending geese at the Sumida River)"






  
#5, "Shinagawa no kihan (Returning sails at Fukagawa)"






  
#6, "Ueno banshō (Evening bell at Ueno)"






  
#7, "Kinryūsan no bosetsu (Twilight snow at Kinryūzan Temple)"






  
#8, "Atago no aki no tsuki (Autumn moon at Mount Atago)"















Kiyonobu II, Eight Views of Edo series


This seems to be yet another printing of the above two, with a recarved title
cartouche.







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#4, "Sumidagawa no rakugan (Descending geese at the Sumida River)"
Tokyo Metropolitan Library;
  
	048-C002














Masanobu, 'Genji Gojūyon Mai no Uchi' (Genji in Fifty-Four
	Sheets)


Printed: ca. 1740




Some sources report the title as being 'Genji Monogatari Etoki (The
Illustrated Story of Prince Genji)'; the exact reading is uncertain.






Slightly unusual format; square paper (14 x 15.5 cm), with the main image
usually in a fan-shaped cartouche, superimposed on the image of a fan with
writing; some have an additional rectangular cartouche with a landscape scene
as well.







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#2, "Hahakigi (The Broom-Tree)"
Musée Guimet, Paris; MA2113(01), MA2113(02)
  






  
#16, "Sekiya (The Barrier-Station)"






  
#53, "Tenarai"
Klefisch, Asiatische Kunst, Auktion 83, 10 Dezember 2005; # 1A, p.15
  






  
#53, "Tenarai"
Lempertz Auktion #726, December/1995; #1258
  






  
#1, #13, #15
Klefisch, Asiatische Kunst, Auktion 83, 10 Dezember 2005; # 1A, p.15






  






  














Masanobu, 'Nana Komachi uta-e Zukushi (A Collection of Poems for Seven Beauties)'


Printed: ca. 1730




Fan-shaped (uneven numbers) and kidney shaped (even numbers).







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#3, "Nana Komachi daisanban, Kayoi Komachi"

Birgit Mayr, Sasaki Toshikazu, "Bestandskatalog Japanischer
	Kulturgüter in Deutschland: Vol. I -	Collection Heidelberg",
	Kokusho Kankokai, Tokyo, 2003;
	#17.1, #17.2, , pp. 30
  






  
#4, "Nana Komachi daiyonban, Sekidera Komachi"















Shigenobu, 'Nana Komachi no uchi (Seven Stages {in the life} of
	Ono no Komachi)'


Kidney shaped (even numbers); possibly fan-shaped (uneven numbers).







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#2
Carl Einstein, "Orbis Pictus Band 16; Der Primitive Japanische Holzschnitt",
	Ernst Wasmuth, Berlin, 1922; pl. 9
  






  
#6














Toshinobu, 'Shiki no Asobi (Pleasures of the Four Seasons)'


Printed: ca. 1730


Publisher: Ōmi-ya Kuhei, of Yokohama-chō Itchōme


Signature: Yamato Gwakou Okumura Toshinobu hitsu (from the 'Summer' print)









Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
"Haru (Spring), Hanami no Maku (The Flower-Viewing
	Curtain)"
"Japanese and Chinese Prints: The Walter Amstutz Collection",
		Sotheby's, Tokyo, 1991; #21, pp. 55
  
Sale catalogue, Walter Amstutz collection, Sotheby's, 1975 (possibly
	erroneous date, same item?)
  		






  
"Natsu (Summer)"
Julius Kurth, "Die Primitiven des Japan Holzschnitt", Dresden, 1922;
	Pl. #30
  







  
"Aki, Dai Samban (Autumn), Kiku no Kwai (Chrysanthemum
	Meeting)"
Art Institute of Chicago - Buckingham collection; (1927.1382)

Margaret O. Gunsaulus, "The Clarence Buckingham Collection of Japanese
	Prints: Volume I - The Primitives", Art Institute of Chicago,
	Chicago, 1955; #19, pp. 181
  		






  
"Fuyu (Winter)"
"Genshoku Ukiyo-e Daihyakka Jiten (11 Volumes)", Tokyo, 1980-82;
	Volume 6, Pl. #149
  














Unknown (Style of Kiyomasu II)


From a series of eight views (probably). The unusual scroll-shaped cartouche
is not seen in any other identified haribako-e series.




Printed: Late 1720's - early 1730's







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#2, "Emonzaka Yoru no Ame (Night Rain on the Emon Embankment)"
Howard A. Link, "Primitive Ukiyo-e: from the James A. Michener
		Collection in the Honolulu Academy of Arts", 1980;
		Unsigned #33
  














Unknown (Style of Kiyomasu II)


From a series of seven stages in the life of Ono no Komachi (probably). This
is stylistically very similar to the series by Shigenobu on this subject, and
this print may be from that series.




Printed: Early 1730's







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
#7, "Sotoba Komachi (Komachi Among the Tombs)"
Howard A. Link, "Primitive Ukiyo-e: from the James A. Michener
	Collection in the Honolulu Academy of Arts", 1980;
	Unsigned #38
  














Unknown (Attributed to Kiyomasu II)


From a series of four (almost certainly).




This print clearly belongs to a series about the four seasons, but the exact
title is as yet unknown. Toshinobu did a haribako-e
series
on this theme, 'Shiki no Asobi (Pleasures of the Four Seasons)', and
it is likely that this is another artist's take on that, or a similar,
subject.




Also, in the 1720's-30's period, it was common for the same series themes to
be used in both haribako-e and vertical
hosoban
series, and there is a hosoban series by Kiyomasu II on the seasons,
'Shiki no Hyakushō (Four Seasons of the Farmer)', which is
another possibility for the title. This latter series is especially
interesting, because the Winter scene from that series,
illustrated
in:


 	Gunhild Avitabile, "Early Masters: Ukiyo-e Prints and Paintings
		from 1680 to 1750", Japan Society, New York, 1991; pp. 98-99



shows many very marked similarities to this print, including the title, so
it's likely this that print is from a haribako-e series of the same name by
Kiyomasu II.







Thumbnail
Number
Source






  
"Fuyu (Winter), Kome Osame (Storing the Rice)"
Private collection
  













Acknowledgements


Thanks to (in alphabetical order) Catherine Chiappa, John Fiorillo and Dick
Illing, who searched for these things across catalogues of sale and show,
provided scans of illustrations, translated titles, etc, etc, and especially
Horst Graebner, Hans Olof Johansson and Guy Pepermans, who provided scans of
a great deal of material.







Back to JNC's home page








© Copyright 2007-2010 by J. Noel Chiappa



Last updated: 3/February/2010