An Old Roof Tile Drawing: Full Scale and Almost Abstract

late nineteenth, early twentieth century 
21" x 14 1/2", 53.5 cm x 37 cm

This is a hand made ink drawing which comes from the workshop of a roof tile maker in Ise, Japan.

The drawing is done in charcoal-based ink on paper, and the full-scale design is meant as a guide for making a traditional tiled roof. The bottom of the drawing shows some faint blue-toned ink lines running horizontal and parallel to each other.

As might be able to be discerned by looking at the detail photos here, the paper is delicate and is well-creased.

Please note some smudges of grey clay on the paper--obviously this is the material used to make the roof tiles.

Just lovely--and its abstracted image as pulled out of context is curious and attractive.