Buson Gashu

Yosa Buson (与謝蕪村, 1716 – December 25, 1784), is considered one of the best poets of Japan’s Edo period. He was also a painter. The Freer Gallery of Art owns four of his paintings, as well as an illustrated printed book of his poetry. The poetry book is part of the Pulverer Collection, acquired by the Freer in 2007 and considered one of the best collections of Japanese illustrated printed books outside Japan. This book of black and white reproductions of twenty-five Buson paintings--some in private collections, some whose location is now unknown--is an important resource for scholars studying this artist’s paintings. Buson Gashū is out of copyright and in the public domain. Adopting the book will ensure that it is digitized and shared online, making these images available for study by a much wider audience.