Ukiyo-e ruiko

• Published: c. 1800-1802
• Japanese: 浮世絵類考 (Ukiyo-e ruikou)

Ukiyo-e ruikô, literally "Various Thoughts on Ukiyo-e", is a collection of writings on the subject by Ôta Nanpo, Santô Kyôden, Sasaya Kuninori, and others. Later editions included additional writings by Shikitei Sanba, Saitô Gesshin, and others.

One of the most famous and oft-cited segments of the book describes the career of the mysterious artist Sharaku, who is described as having portrayed kabuki actors too realistically, in grotesque ways not in accordance with standard modes, this being the key reason that his career was so short.

The original text is no longer extant, and seems to have come into being around 1789, when Ôta Shokusanjin played a role in editing or compiling it. Sasaya Kuninori added a description of ukiyo-e lineages in 1800, entitled Yamato ukiyo-e no shikei (大和浮世絵の始系), and Ôta Nanpo made further edits in 1802.

The text was further revised in 1818 by Shikitei Sanba, and Keisai Eisen appended his own thoughts in 1833. By this point, the text had come to be known by a number of different titles, including Zoku ukiyo-e ruikô (続浮世絵類考), indicating it to be a later edition, or supplement. Another version, titled Zôho ukiyo-e ruikô (増補浮世絵類考) appeared in 1844, edited and expanded by Saitô Gesshin, and more explicitly titled as an expanded version. The final Edo period version of the text was created and published in the final year of the Edo period, 1868, by Tatsutaya Shûkin, who titled his version Shin-zôho ukiyo-e ruikô (新増補浮世絵類考), or "New Expanded Various Thoughts on Ukiyo-e."

References

• Ukiyo-e Ruikou. JAANUS. 2001. Accessed 28 February 2010.
• Ukiyo-e ruikô. Nihon Kokugo Daijiten. Shogakukan, Inc. Accessed via JapanKnowledge online resource, 28 February 2010.