Page 270 - Japanese marks and seals on pottery, paper and other objects.

232 ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS AND PRINTED BOOKS.

A favourite subject of Japanese painters is the illustration
of the historical tales of their country, and the characters
Mono-gatari, having this meaning, frequently occur in the
titles of the works of this nature the following examples
;

MONO-GATARI. MONO-GATARI. MONO-G.ATARI.
Historical Tales.
The marks given above are Chinese, but the words are
frequently found written in a combination of Chinese words
and Hira-kana letters the inscriptions which follow illustrate
;
this, and afford an indication of the difficulties which beset
the correct interpretation of ancient Japanese inscriptions.

MONO-GA-TA-RI. JIONO-GA-TA-RI.
Histolical Tales..