Mysterious Old Book

[Zaida]

I was cleaning my attic and inside my father's chest I found this old chinese book. I scanned two pages, one with writing on it and the other is some sort of water color art or something. The entire book has various pictures , can anyone tell me what the page says? Im curious to what it says or what the book is, should I throw it or keep it? Thanks.

Zaida

[skylee]

I think the book is called "琦鳳畫譜" (which is written on the left rim of the first photo), a collection of pictures by Japanese painter 河村琦鳳 (1777 - 1852).

About the artist ->

河村琦鳳（ 〜嘉永５年） 画家。姓は中原、名は駸、字は五逸。琦鳳又は竹裏館と号した。通称河村備前目、京都の人、画を河村文鳳に学んだが文鳳はその画才を愛して遂に其女を配して養子とした。多藝の人で画業の余に音曲に親しみ俳諧に遊んだ、初め釜座夷川北に文鳳と同居したが晩年は洛北市原に隠栖し嘉永五年九月廿一日没した。年七十五。市原小町寺に葬られている。琦鳳画譜、琦鳳漫画の著がある。（文化十 画家 文政五 画家 文政十一 画家 再出 平語 天保九 画家 再出 平語 嘉永五 画家）(source)

Some source seems to say that the book was published in 文政7年 (1824; check out this link which is a pdf and my computer has problem with the fonts so I can't read it). But if your book is a reprint it may not be that old.

I found the info on the internet. I have no knowledge on the painter. And obviously the above could be completely wrong.

[Zaida]

wow thank you very much at least you told me some info about it, thank you for your time.

Zaida