The Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting, 8 juan

Ming dynasty (1368�1644), Chongzhen period (1628�44)

Compiled and selected by Hu Zhengyan (1584�1674); edited [and illustrated] by Gao Yang, Ling Yunhan, Wu Shiguan, Wei Zhihuang, Wei Zhike, Hu Zongzhi, Gao You, Xingyi heshang, et al.

Nanjing, Jiangsu Province: Hu shi Shizhu zhai, 1644

Illustrations printed in 5 colors (including black); overall dimensions of volumes: 29.4 x 17.2 cm; each folded-leaf of illustration or text: approx. 28.9�29.2 x 25.8�26.0 cm; butterfly binding

Inventory number: 17768

The Ten Bamboo Manual of Calligraphy and Painting is the earliest painting manual in China to be printed in color and the first to include isolated illustrations of natural subjects, such as plants and flowers, fruits, and birds.Apart from using examples of his own calligraphy and painting, the compiler Hu Zhengyan selected works by historical and contemporary artists.The woodblocks were engraved by the most highly skilled artisans from Huizhou but personally supervised by Hu personally.A separate block was made for each color in a technique known as douban (assembled blocks).Luxury editions of this manual incorporated gonghua (embossed design), a blind-stamping technique used to produce illustrations with exquisite low-relief designs.

There are eight juan arranged by subject matter: "Exemplars of Calligraphy and Painting," "Bamboo," "Ink Masterpieces," "Rocks," "Birds," "Prunus," "Orchids," and "Fruits."Each illustration is given a double-page spread with a fold along the center and is matched with a text or poem on an adjacent double page.