Album met honderd vogels van Bairei Possibly 1884 - 1888

This is the cover of “Album met honderd vogels van Bairei,” a collection of bird paintings by the renowned Japanese artist Kōno Bairei (1844-1895). The book, which is dated between 1884 and 1888, is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The cover showcases an embossed design featuring a circular floral motif and Bairei's signature in the upper left corner. This album demonstrates Bairei's mastery of the *nihonga* style, a Japanese painting technique that emphasizes meticulous detail and realism in portraying birds.