About This Print
One of eight diptych prints from a series of color woodblock educational prints covering various aspects of mechanics issued in 1873 by the Ministry of Education (文部省 Monbushō). This print discusses and demonstrates the wedge, its principles and practical applications.Transcription
Sources: University of Tsukuba Library http://www.tulips.tsukuba.ac.jp/lib/ja/collection/rare-kyoiku-nishikieNote: The below transcription follows the line breaks on the print, includes hiragana either to the left or right of the Kanji on the print and uses the new Kanji character forms.
left side of diptych:
大酒盃（こつぷ）を二つ
重ね
其上
を圧（おす）
とき
は外（そと）
になれる
盃のみ破るゝも亦
楔（くさび）の理と同一なり
right side of diptych:
楔（くさび）は斜（しや）面形（めんけい）の二ツ
合体したる
ものにて木または
岩等（など）を劈（さ）ぎ或
は柱（はしら）を起すに必用の
器なり其形ち薄けれ
は力を省き厚ければ
余分に力を費すなり
Prints in the Series
Source: all images copied from http://www.tulips.tsukuba.ac.jp/lib/ja/collection/rare-kyoiku-nishikieNote: the below prints carry a red cartouche reading 宮木宥弌 臧書 and a red stamp stating 寄宮附木 identifying the collector and donator of these prints to the library as Miyaki Yūitsu the chief priest of Jutokuji temple in Takinogawa, Tokyo. Miyaki Yuitsu collected textbooks from schools and temple schools around the time of the Meiji Restoration, while he was a practicing monk. His collection was reported to be a total of more than 20,000 books.
Principles of the lever and its practical applications (three diptychs)
Principles of the pulley and its practical applications (one diptych)
Principles of the wheel and axle and its practical applications (one diptych)
Principles of the inclined plane (slope) and its practical applications (one diptych)
Principles of the wedge and its practical applications (one diptych)
Principles of the screw and its practical applications (one diptych)
Ministry of Education Full-Color Woodblock Prints
The newly formed Ministry of Education issued full-color woodblock prints for childhood and adult education between 1873 and 1885. In addition to prints issued by the Ministry, color woodblock educational prints were also issued by private publishers, such as those of the series Brocade Pictures for Moral Education (錦絵修身談 Nishiki-e shūshindan), a collaborative effort of the artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892), his students and the Tokyo publishing house Fukyūsha, issued in 1883 and 1884.
For more information on the color woodblock prints issued by the Ministry of Education see the article Educational Color Woodblock Prints (issued by the Ministry of Education) on this site.
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #767 |
| Title or Description | [Principles and Applications of the] Wedge 楔 kusabi |
| Series | untitled series on Mechanics |
| Artist | Utagawa Kuniteru II (1830-1874) [attributed to the school of] |
| Signature | unsigned but attributed to the school of Utagawa Kuniteru II |
| Seal of Artist | none |
| Publication Date | 1873 |
| Publisher | seal of the Ministry of Education [Monbushō] reading 文部省製本所発行記 [published by Ministry of Education] |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | good |
| Condition | poor - two halves of diptych joined, extensive worm damage |
| Genre | ukiyo-e; kyōiku nishiki-e [full-color educational prints] |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | oban |
| H x W Paper | 13 7/8 x 18 5/8 in. (35.2 x 47.3 cm) |
| H x W Image | 13 1/2 x 18 1/16 in. (34.3 x 45.9 cm) |
| Literature | |
| Collections This Print | University of Tsukuba library http://www.tulips.tsukuba.ac.jp/lib/ja/collection/rare-kyoiku-nishikie |
last revision:
1/17/2019 (created)
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