Twelve Pieces of The Ten Bamboo Studio Woodblock Prints
Late Qing Dynasty, 1879 Edition

A rare group of twelve woodblock prints from an 1879 edition of the celebrated Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting (Shizhuzhai Huapu), one of the most influential and technically sophisticated publications in the history of Chinese printing. Printed using the famed douban (multi-block color printing) and gonghua (blind embossing) techniques, these works demonstrate the extraordinary achievements of Chinese artisans in reproducing the effects of brush, ink, and color through woodblock printing.

The origins of the Ten Bamboo Studio trace to the renowned Ming dynasty scholar, artist, calligrapher, and publisher Hu Zhengyan (1584–1674), who established his studio in Nanjing during the late Ming period. Seeking to reproduce paintings with unprecedented fidelity, Hu and his craftsmen developed innovative printing methods that employed multiple carved blocks for individual colors and tonal gradations. Through careful registration and repeated impressions, subtle variations of brushwork, shading, texture, and color could be achieved, creating prints that closely resembled original paintings.

First published in 1644, The Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting was conceived both as an instructional guide and as a collection of exemplary paintings for study and imitation. The work was divided into sections devoted to calligraphy, flowers, fruits, orchids, bamboo, plum blossoms, rocks, birds, and other traditional subjects, reproducing works by Hu Zhengyan and numerous earlier masters. For generations, the publication served as one of the most important painting manuals in China and East Asia.

Together with the famous Ten Bamboo Studio Letter Paper Designs (Shizhuzhai Jianpu), the Manual of Painting is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Chinese color woodblock printing. The douban and gonghua techniques perfected in these publications are considered among the most important innovations in the history of printing, representing an early form of full-color printing centuries before comparable technologies became widespread elsewhere. Their influence extended beyond China, inspiring later developments in Japanese woodblock printing, including Ukiyo-e, and contributing to the broader history of printmaking worldwide.

The present set was printed in 1879 during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, reflecting the continued prestige and popularity of the Ten Bamboo Studio tradition more than two centuries after its original publication. As both works of art and monuments of printing technology, these prints embody one of China's most significant contributions to the history of world publishing and visual culture.

{Approximate Dimensions - each sight: 9 1/8 x 11 inches (23 x 28 cm)}.

《十竹斋画谱》木版水印版画十二幅
清代光绪五年（1879年）刻印

本组十二幅版画出自清代光绪五年（1879）刊印的《十竹斋画谱》，为中国彩色木版水印艺术的重要代表作品。《十竹斋画谱》由明代著名出版家、书画家胡正言（1584–1674）辑刊，是中国古代版画史、印刷史与绘画史上的里程碑式著作。

在中国印刷史上，除雕版印刷与活字印刷之外，彩色木版水印同样是一项具有世界意义的重要发明。胡正言创造并完善的“饾版”“拱花”套印技术，通过将画稿依照墨色浓淡、色彩层次、笔触变化分别刻制成多块木版，再逐层叠印，使印刷品能够逼真再现原作的笔墨神韵与设色效果。其工艺之精妙，不仅远超同时代世界其他地区的印刷技术，更被誉为彩色套印版画发展的重要开端。

《十竹斋画谱》初刊于明末南京十竹斋，全书分《书画谱》《墨华谱》《果谱》《翎毛谱》《兰谱》《竹谱》《梅谱》《石谱》等八大类，兼具绘画范本与艺术教材功能，收录胡正言本人及历代名家作品三十余家。数百年来，该书一直是中国、日本乃至东亚地区学习中国绘画的重要范本，对后世文人绘画的发展产生了深远影响。

与此同时，《十竹斋画谱》与《十竹斋笺谱》共同被视为中国木版水印艺术的巅峰之作。其中所采用的“饾版”“拱花”技术，不仅影响了日本浮世绘的发展，也通过欧洲收藏家和学者的传播，对近代西方彩色版画艺术产生重要影响。因此，《十竹斋》系列作品不仅是中国艺术史上的经典著作，也是世界印刷史与出版史上的重要文献。

本组作品刊印于1879年，虽为晚清重刊本，但仍完整保留了《十竹斋画谱》精妙的套色木版水印传统。其画面雅致清新，设色层次丰富，兼具艺术欣赏价值与文献研究价值，是研究中国版画史、印刷史及东亚艺术交流的重要实物资料。

{每幅画心约：高9 1/8 × 宽11英寸（23 × 28厘米）}。

Crease in center, scattered areas of discoloration. For condition report, please contact the Asian Art Department.