A WOODBLOCK HAND-COLOURED MAP OF TOKYO; JAPAN EIRI EDO OEZU (Illustrated Edo)

A large woodcut map of Edo (Tokyo) with fine handcolouring, on joined and folded paper. The map is breathtaking in its detail and features many paintings of important landmarks, temples, bridges and people, who are often pictured working or fishing from boats on the waterways running through Tokyo. A stunning and very rare woodblock map beautifully and unusually handcoloured. Roads, blocks, buildings, open areas, canals and waterways, are all vividly laid out on this huge and most impressive map. 123.5 by 149.5 cm., folded within paper covers, folds to 28 by 18 cm, now preserved in a fine clamshell box. A remarkably well preserved and very rare item, with some light rubbing due to age and as to be expected. A bit of old worming or light soiling and occasional small repairs, but in all quite astonishing in its quality and beautifully preserved with bright and vivid colour and detail.

Edizione: an extraordinary item, remarkable for both its cartographic detail and its artistic beauty. the wood block printing shows land tenures of daimyo and hatamoto. it also shows temples and shrines, includes a distance chart and descriptive listing of daimyo showing crests and halberds. there is also a inset of the eastern portion of edo.