Paper short abstract:

During the 17th century there is a small group of manuscripts that bear the text and illustrations of noh pieces. They do not contain producers' or ownership marks and are hardly studied. This paper sheds light on their context mainly by examining their material evidence.

Paper long abstract:

The 17th century, the first century of the Early Modern era of Japan, holds many changes in book production and reception. Regarding production formats and styles change, techniques shift and mass production begins. As to reception the use of books is not limited to the privileged aristocracy anymore.

During this time of transition between books for the aristrocracy and popularization of books in the Edo period, there is a comparatively small group of manuscripts that bear the text and illustrations of noh pieces. They are usually grouped with so-called Nara ehon. Since they do not contain colophones or other producers' or ownership marks, they are hardly studied. Examining their material evidence however, may shed light on their context. Based on this research they can be dated in two groups: early (late 16th to about Kan'ei era) and late (Kan'ei era to Kyōhō era).

Following formats, bindings, layout and painting styles the purpose of this study is to trace the development of illustrated manuscripts in the 17th century by taking the noh manuscripts as examples. Especially looking at emaki, picture scrolls, of the early and late groups the evolution becomes clear: trying to blend out the contents, the appearance of the scrolls suggests that they became more and more an object of representation, rather than an object for reading. This becomes visible primarily in four points: size, binding, use of gold and the formalization of painting style. I argue that these changes, which cannot only be observed in emaki, but also in bound books, reflect a different readership and a different way to handle books in the latter half of the century.