125 - Sosen: First Gibbon in Japan

Sosen: First Gibbon in Japan

 

This is said to be the first gibbon ever seen in Japan. The artist is Mori Sosen (1747-1821), a Japanese painter, mainly know for his monkey motives. This drawing is an illustration in a book, "Kenkadō-zatsuroku" by Kimura Kenkadō.

According to this book, the gibbon was shown in Osaka in 1809.

93 - Kyōsai: Drawing of a Travelling Couple

Kyōsai: Drawing of a Traveling Couple

Here we see a fine drawing by Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831-1889), A Travelling Couple. It is from about 1880 and shows what a versatile artist Kyōsai was.