A collection of 24 fish drawings by Kawahara Keiga (c. 1786-1860) and studio
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), approx. 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.
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) Indo-pacific sailfish
21. Kanagashira (Hobo) Spiny red gurmad
22. Fuose-fuka (Kasuzame) Japanese anglershark
23. Ma-fugu Purple puffer
24. Hirasu (Buri) Japanese amberjack
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), approx. 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.
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) Indo-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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