Kyōsai gadan 1887

This is the cover of *Kyōsai gadan*, a two-volume manual on painting made by Kawanabe Kyōsai in Japan. The book dates from the late 19th century, a period of rapid modernization known as the Meiji era. At this time, Japanese artists were eager to embrace Western techniques while also preserving their cultural heritage. Kyōsai was known for his synthesis of traditional Japanese painting with Western influences. Kyōsai uses traditional block printing to show the figure of a teacher or master within a circle, perhaps alluding to the cyclical learning process. The book itself suggests the rise of art education and institutions that were forming at this time, but it also hints at the old ways of passing down knowledge from master to pupil. To understand Kyōsai’s work better, we can study the social and political history of the Meiji era, as well as the history of art education in Japan. We can look at other manuals like this, and also at how Kyosai negotiated tradition and modernity.