Seihō’s Painting Studies is a four-volume work edited by Kanbei Murakami and published in 1901 (Meiji 34). Designed in a traditional Japanese bookbinding format, the third and fourth volumes feature exquisite colored woodblock prints. The artistic style showcased in these volumes reflects a fusion of classical Japanese aesthetics with the modern influences of the Meiji era. During this period, Japan’s publishing industry flourished, leading to the wide dissemination of both traditional and contemporary artistic works. While incorporating certain Western influences, the pieces collected in this book retain the essence of Japanese artistry, offering a valuable record of the artistic transformations of the time.
