Map of the World - Rare Japanese woodblock print from the Tokugawa period
Title: „Chikyu Ichiran zu“ - First fleeting glance of the earth
Large sized map of the world, woodblock print, contemporarily coloured by hand, edited by Onogi Ichibei and Asa Shoemon from Kyoto (mentioned in the text), published in Osaka 1783, dated: Tenmei 12. month.
Characteristic feature of the map: Japan is in the centre, Europa and Afrika at the western margin, America in the East. Outside of the map, at the four corners, there are annotations and legends in Japanese characters.
Map formerly several times folded, more recently mounted on Japanese paper.
Very rare map of the world. Listed at Beans „List of Japanese Maps of the Tokugawa Era“, but without picture. Under: „Maps of the Tenmei Period (1781-1789)“, described as first world map of this period: „1783.1“ and first state. Later editions, as „1783.3“, have added a second name of a publisher and are are not coloured by hand but printed in colours.
Very good impression, paper somewhat stained due to its age and partly a little bit damaged at former folds, otherwise good condition.
Size of the map: ca. 82 x 152 cm.
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