Kawamura Bunpō (河村文鳳)

Kawamura Bunpō (河村文鳳) was an artist whose documented professional activity spanned the years 1806 to 1824. Bunpō primarily worked in the medium of illustrated books and print albums (gafu), producing instructional guides and collections of graphic designs.

The artist is represented in major institutional holdings, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Six distinct works are documented in collections, comprising comprehensive print series and drawing manuals. Notable titles include the ambitious travelogue Nangaku-Bunpō Highway Pictures (Nangaku Bunpō kaidō sōga) and the instructional guide Guide to Chinese Painting, Second Series (Kanga shinan nihen). Further examples of the artist’s output are documented in the multi-volume Bunpō Picture Album (Bunpō gafu), First Series, and the Kinpaen (Bunpō) Picture Album (Kinpaen gafu).

The surviving documentation of the artist’s work, contained within these volumes, establishes the standard for high-quality prints from the early nineteenth century. Today, much of Kawamura Bunpō (河村文鳳)'s work resides in the public domain, making downloadable artwork widely accessible for scholarship and public appreciation.