E-hon

Cover and back of 2 bound-together volumes from the gōkan e-hon series A Country Genji by an Imitation Murasaki (Nise Murasaki inaka Genji)

E-hon (絵本, or ehon) is the Japanese term for picture books. It may be applied in the general sense, or may refer specifically to a type of woodblock printed illustrated volume published in the Edo period (1603–1867).

The first e-hon were religious items with images by Buddhist painters.[1] Those from the Muromachi period are typically known as nara-ehon.[2] In the early modern period (1600–1868) illustrated books exploded in popularity. They covered a diverse range of subjects with experimentation in production techniques.[1]

E-hon production was a significant part of the Japanese publishing industry (particularly) during the 19th century; most Japanese woodblock print artists of the period produced e-hon designs (often in large quantities), as commercial work.[3]

Toward the end of the 19th century, e-hon chapter-books were eclipsed in popularity by the new "Western" concept of literary magazines. These were larger books which contained more, and a wider range of material per-issue, but usually fewer pictures (measured on a text-to-images ratio). They often used more modern printing methods; the increase in production costs was offset by increased efficiency, larger-scale printing and distribution, and the introduction of advertising. Typically, a magazine would include one large folded, polychrome illustration referencing some "feature" story in the volume, as a frontispiece. Such pictures, woodblock-printed in colour, are known as kuchi-e. The new format also absorbed most of the remaining talent and market for ukiyo-e style prints.

  1. ^ a b Keyes, Roger S. (2006). Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan. New York Public Library.
  2. ^ "JAANUS / Nara-ehon 奈良絵本".
  3. ^ "NYPL Digital Gallery | Explore All Collections". Digitalgallery.nypl.org. Retrieved 2010-10-06.