Geïllustreerde spiegel der valken 1877 - 1879

These four books are titled “An Illustrated Mirror of Falcons,” and they were made by Kawanabe Kyōsai in Japan during the Meiji era. They’re an example of a type of popular, relatively inexpensive art called “Kusazōshi”. Kusazōshi books were produced in a rapidly modernizing Japan. They were part of a boom in printed media and literacy that changed patterns of communication and popular culture. The books often included socially conscious content, or satirical commentary on contemporary events. This particular series may be associated with the decline of falconry as a traditional sport, and the rise of new forms of leisure in the Meiji period. The study of Kusazōshi books involves a combination of skills. The historian needs to understand not only the visual language of the images, but also the cultural and social context in which they were produced and consumed. Researching library collections, old newspapers, and other primary sources would help in understanding the social role that these books once played.