A Study on the Influence of Ehon on Textile Design in Edo Period : Mainly on the Position of Eiri-haisho as the Resource for Kachoga-like Design

Abstract

In this paper, I examined the position of ehon with kachoga like eiri-haisho (collection of haiku with picture) as resource for textile design. In the early mid-18^<th> century, some kosode-hinagatabon artists started to depict the designs of various plants in picture-like style with reality. Though designs based on kachoga became one of the typical textile designs in late Edo, such attempts did not become widespread in kosode-hinagatabon. Meanwhile, in the first part of the 18th century, Ehon with kachoga by professional artists began to be published. Some of them were art manuals, while others were books mainly for visual entertainment, such as eiri-haisho. Although both could be applied to kachoga-like design, the former was used mainly by craftsmen or merchants, while the latter fascinated the readers with their kachoga illustrations and inspired new design devices. We verified, by investigating the reprint editions, that Ehon Fukujuso and Haikainanosiori, which are eiri-haisyo with picture of various plants, have been recognized also as reference material for creating new designs. Borderless connection between aesthetic appreciation and practical use is one of the characteristics of the relation between publications and textile designs in the late Edo period.