SHIBATA Zeshin (1807-1891) was born in Ryogoku, and was active both as a

painter of the Maruyama Shijo school and as a makie lacquer artist during the end of

the Edo period to the early Meiji period. He became one of the first Imperial Court

Artists, and is one of the most talented among the Japanese artists of 19th century.

The sketchbooks that Zeshin created as part of his studies, along with draft sketches

for various projects commissioned by the Imperial Court that he left to his family,

were transferred to the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (present

name: Tokyo University of the arts) in 1975.

  The main sketches by SHIBATA Zeshin in the University collection are the 112

designs  for tapestry used for the celling of the Chigusa-no-ma (literally “hall of

various plants and flowers” ) which was one of the most beautiful halls in the Meiji

Palace, 10 sketches of the Sugito-e (paintings on the cedar doors) in the Imperial

family’s residence within the Meiji Palace, and his 95 sketchbooks. It is a collection of

high quality and a condensation of Zeshi’s art.His expressions of plants depicted by

flowing  and accurate brushwork  ,supported by his keen observant eye, are first class

art works worthy of appreciation equally to great paintings.

Each of the 112 Chigusa-no-ma ceiling sketches are over  1 meter in diameter,

which were completed in 2 months. the  95  sketchbooks are the fruit of Zeshin’s

studies over many years, displaying the roots of the clever and elegant style of his 

art.  In this book, along with the Chigusa-no-ma ceiling sketches, we have selected

sketches of flowers and plants, which are the most elegant , featuring the sketchbook

of 99 cherry blossoms, showing the refined brushwork unique to Zeshin.

巻末にあった是真の略歴とこの書の「明治宮殿千種之間天井画下絵」と「桜花百色」に

ついての説明英文を書き写してみた。

112の天井画の植物図、99種の桜が優しい筆に繊細な色で描かれている。

ただただ美しい植物の絵図をめくる。

柴田是真の植物図　改訂版　Flora Sketches by SHIBATA Zeshin

• 三樂文庫No：057
• 著者：編者：黒川廣子　薩摩雅登
• 出版社：光村推古書院
• 発行日：平成28年10月21日