Yokei zukuri niwa no zu - Models of Garden Design: The first drawings of Japanese gardens done by a professional artist

3rd edition, 1691. Japanes stab binding; title slip on front cover; wood block printed book; 25 x 18.5cm, n.n. title, 20 double sheets (the first one bound in in duplicate), numbered 1, 1 – 19; 18 double page woodblock prints;

Biding shows some wear; inside clean, no stains; no insect damage; the first pages a little fingered; overall in outstandingly good condition.

The book includes black and white wood-block prints of beautiful gardens accompanied by a written description of the specific character of each garden. According to Moronobu's preface, the gardens depicted were not actual gardens but rather gardens imagined by the author. As the first drawings of Japanese gardens done by a professional artist, the book also provides useful information for Japanese garden historians.

One of Moronobu`s most important and most famous works.

There were three editions of this book, all using the same woodblocks. The first edition was published by Kashiwagi Yoichi in 1680. The revised edition of 1681 lacks three pictures. In the 3. Edition (dated by Hillier to 1691), figures were cut out from the woodblocks and the resulting gaps were filled. The refilling can be identified by detailed examination of the prints from the 1691 edition by comparison with the 1680 and 1681 editions. have been deleted from the gadens. The title was based on the title paper (picture 2), another title "Shinpan Tsukiyamanozu fu Niwazukushi" is printed on the title slip (picture 1).

Hishikawa Moronobu is generally accredited as the founder of ukiyo-e. Before his time, the illustrations in printed books were subordinate to the text. He made the illustrations more important, and people bought the books for the sake of the pictures.