Author: Ogino Masao & Tsuboi Motoyoshi
Title: [Yusai].
Description: Tokyo, Ogino & Tsuboi? 1943 (Showa 18). 32x24cm, loose as issued publisher's folding card case (bottom flap missing, top ragged along the fold), printed paper label over a gold label. Title page and 28 numbered leaves with 126 mounted colour designs. Title browned, a little browning of the mounting leaves. ¶ Beautifully printed and mysterious; what more can anyone ask of a colour book? The colour printing is crisp, saturated and vivid. Yusai translates literally as 'friend colour' - a glazing technique using colours is called yusai - but what it really means other than colours friendly to each other I don't know. Neither do I know who Ogino and Tsuboi are. Ogino's name and seal is on the title slip, both names are on the title page and the colophon slip pasted inside the back cover. Beyond this is mystery.How and why was something like this produced in 1943? A kimono pattern book out of Kyoto or Osaka is one thing but this is a colour grammar out of Tokyo. Textile patterns are used but the designs are secondary. Two names, two Tokyo addresses, and the year are all the information we have.I can find no mention it exists.

Keywords: colour theory art design printing Japan c20th modernity graphic textiles