Tatebanko

[papermodelfan]

Thanks to Don Boose for the encouragement to post this. Paper models were popular in Japan for centuries. They were called Kumiag-e or tatebanko, and depicted popular Kabuki theater scenes, historical tableaux, armor, and buildings. They were printed as multicolored woodblock prints, on up to ten sheets, just like the prints of Hokusai or Hiroshige. In fact, Hokusai designed tatebanko himself. The sheets are now very rare, and the whole form is largely forgotten, even in Japan. (A modern revival, at tatebanko.com is actually quite different). The sheets have become extremely rare. I have found only three among a dozen or so museum collections of Japanese prints in the US. Those are at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and are available to see and even purchase here: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: Home. Enter one of the following three accession numbers in the search box (and be patient):
11.19640, 11.20433, 11.20434.

Very occasionally, they appear on eBay, which is how I first found out about them in 2006. With the help of Frank-Michael Goldmann, Bob Freidus, and Dieter Nievergelt, Tony Cole in Tokyo and I were able to get enough material together to write up a little report for Dieter N's annual publication on the History of Card Modelling, to appear later this year. Now Tony has held a show of built tatebanko's at a Tokyo Gallery. Here are a couple of images from the gallery website. Two famous kabuki scenes.

Here are the "Hidakawa Kiyohime" and "Asagao Nikki" displays assembled from the prints belonging to Dieter Nievergelt:

Hidakawa Kiyohime:
Gallery ??? blog Tony Cole ??????????

Asagao Nikki:
Gallery ??? blog Tony Cole ?????????

Cheers, Rob Tauxe

[billy.leliveld]

Thanks for this very interesting post,
I've downloaded the ones you pointed out, I'll build and use them in a little 'guest-speech' on cardmodeling on my son's school..

[B-Manic]

Thanks for the info and links Rob. I had wondered about this form after seeing one of a samurai battle on ebay. The seller was Fuji Arts. That one was three or four pages.

[rickstef]

Rob,

not sure if you seen this link

3 kits for $24

Tatebanko Paper Diorama

Rick