[FORE-EDGE PAINTING] Wenyuan Yinghua (Finest Blossoms in the Garden of Literature).

[FORE-EDGE PAINTING]
Wenyuan Yinghua (Finest Blossoms in the Garden of Literature).

(China, 16th Century)

2 volumes bound in one, comprising juan 304-313 (of ca 1,000), 8vo (278 x 180 mm). (Light toning to margins.) 20th-century Chinese gilt-speckled blue wrappers and FORE-EDGE PAINTING (outer fold of each sheet opened) of a red-dressed lady in now by Lu Hongnian (1919-1989) from Taicang; Republican Period folding brocade case, a cloth pattern of iridescent beige, green, orange and brown flowers on a blue background, the inner flaps of ruyi-head form with gilt edges, bone toggle.

16th Century reprint, from the Ming Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Longqing (1567-1572), originally compiled during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Northern Song Dynasty, from 982 to 986. The first edition of this Tang Poetry collection was printed in 1201.

李昉等纂宋《文苑英華》卷第三百四至三百一十三
明隆慶（1567-1572）中刊本
白棉紙，藍錦如意函套，包金，内灑金粉箋紙
書口彩繪紅妝立雪，款識太倉陸鴻年（1919-1989），鈐印：陸

明版不稀奇，但裁開書口、彩繪人物是面向洋人特製一種裝幀手法。一度小面積流行於民國琉璃廠“吃洋莊”的書肆間。書口彩繪是西洋特技，民國時廠肆書賈融會貫通，把京華藏家不屑一顧的不成套明版拆開，合二冊為一增加厚度，裁開書口，使之便于繪事，再請畫師于書口作畫，題材大多是基督教人物或風景花卉，最後覆以精美的錦緞如意函套，高價售予西人。

上世紀末以來，這一小批帶有書口彩繪的明版古籍逐漸浮現于美國市場，因過於小衆，少爲華人藏家所知，拍賣場中曇花一現，往往取得不俗成績。紐約佳士得古籍部2010年12月2日曾有一例上拍，書口僅繪牡丹一枝，成交價已自不菲。我司西洋珍本部2021年5月12日售出一類似本，亦爲明隆慶《文苑英華》，書口繪聖母基督，無款，不如本冊出自名家之手：大雪天寒，紅妝素裹，蹙眉櫻唇，似怨非怨，媚骨天成，更惹人憐。
Case: 11 1/4 x 7 1/4 x 1 1/8 in., 28.5 x 19.5 x 3 cm; Book: 11 x 7 1/8 x 3/4 in., 27.8 x 18 x 1.8 cm.
Asian Art
Attractive stable condition overall. The case with some modeling and soiling at the edges, the interior with some marks, particularly at the creases. One toggle closure missing. The front cover page with an indentation, the bottom corners slightly bruised, without impact to the internal contents and fore-edge painting.