Chikanobu (Toyohara) [Chiyoda Castle] album of 36 oban colour-printed woodblock panels to form 12

Chikanobu (Toyohara) [Chiyoda Castle] album of 36 oban colour-printed woodblock panels to form 12 triptychs in two sets of 6 mounted back to back some heightened and all edged with silver in good condition folding concertina-style into contemporary silk boards paper title panel mounted on 4to 1897. *** Toyohara Chikanobu (1838-1912) was a very highly regarded artist of the Meiji period. He favoured the triptych form for his woodblock prints and apart from the traditional themes of mythology and heroic history produced series on courtly life in Chiyoda Castle otherwise known as Edo Castle. This was the original imperial palace which since 1947 has also given its name to the wider district in central Tokyo that contains many important government buildings the supreme court and foreign embassies. Subjects depicted in this album include equestrian sports processions audiences ceremonial and other courtly scenes.