Painting of a Boat Reserved for the Head of the Takamatsu Matsudaira Family
- Artist
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Akazawa Giken (dates unknown), Akazawa Yoshinao (dates unknown)
- Period
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1754 (Hōreki 4), 1792 (Kansei 4)
- Quality and quantity
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Drawings in color, eight sheets
- Size (cm)
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1 General plan: 157.5 × 223.0 2 Stern view and superstructure view: 37.0 × 434.0 3 Decorated superstructure and deck plan: 37.0 × 362.5 4 Overall elevation: 115.4 × 369.3 5 Plan view: 115.2 × 370.3 6 Stern view: 75.0 × 95.0 7 Planking method diagram: 76.4 × 190.1 8 Diagram of construction widths for the middle and upper bottom planks: 76.2 × 190.1
- Category
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Folk materials
- Classification
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Designated by the prefecture
- Accession number
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MK2#00001、MK2#00002、MK2#00003、MK2#00004、MK2#00005、MK2#00008、MK2#00006、MK2#00007
Description
A gozabune was a vessel reserved exclusively for a daimyo (region lord). The lord of the Takamatsu domain crossed the Seto Inland Sea aboard such a ship when traveling between Edo and his home domain as part of the sankin-kōtai (alternate attendance) system.
The Takamatsu domain’s gozabune was known as the Hiryūmaru (“Flying Dragon”). The first Hiryūmaru was constructed in 1669 (Kanbun 9) by Matsudaira Yorishige, the first head of the Takamatsu Matsudaira family, and the vessel was rebuilt several times through the end of the Edo period. These drawings were produced as records documenting one such reconstruction.
Each sheet is annotated with leader lines and explanatory notes that focus primarily on the ship’s decorative features. Of particular interest are the detailed depictions of the interior decoration of the two-story superstructure (yakata), which housed the cabins of the domain lord and his senior retainers, offering insight into aspects of daimyo life.