Illustrated manuscript on paper, entitled on upper wrapper “Ha mono shū” 葉物集 [“Flower Arrangements, Gathered Information”]

56 fine brush, ink, and gray-wash drawings in the text. 24.5 folding leaves. 8vo (276 x 196 mm.), orig. semi-stiff yellow patterned wrappers, new stitching. [Japan]: late Edo.


Zeshinken 是心軒 (1734–80), scholar monk, was a master of ikebana 生け花 (flower arrangement) and created a school — the Shōgetsudō koryū 松月堂古流 — devoted to this art (which still exists and thrives). He devised a seika 生花 form based on a belief in five elements called Godai 五大 (地大 earth, 水大 water, 火大 fire, 風大 wind, and 空大 air) in esoteric Buddhism.


This handsome manuscript contains 56 quite fine brush, ink, and gray-wash illustrations of flowering plants. The first plant discussed is the iris. The author illustrates and discusses what he considers to be the most beautiful side of the flowering plant and the framework of leaves necessary to display the flower at its best. Methods of disassembling the leaves are given and illustrated, and then the author shows how the leaves can be reassembled to maximum advantage. He discusses the many aesthetic solutions to correct flower arrangement within the rules of the school.


Other illustrated flowers include asters, various species of iris species, lotus, hostas, and narcissus. The final text of six leaves discusses another 30 different species of flowering plants (dandelion, water lily, various orchids, Japanese primrose, and skunk cabbage) and how to display them at their best according to the rules of the Shōgetsudō koryū.


Minor marginal worming, but a fine fresh copy.