The exhibition selected from the permanent collection is now on view from June 8 to July 4.
It includes Japanese paintings and woodblock prints from the 17th to the early 20th centuries
by YOKOYAMA Kazan, TANI Buncho, HANABUSA Iccho, IKENO Taiga, UTAGAWA Hiroshige, and so on under the theme of "Great Views of Mt.Fuji" and by KITAGAWA Utamaro, KATSUSHIKA Hokusai, KEISAI Eisen, TOTOYA Hokkei, UTAGAWA Kuniyoshi, and so on under the theme of "Enjoying the Sea and Mountains".
It also includes oil paintings and water-color paintings by Kohu Ishi (石井光楓) and works from the collection of Sato Gallery.
Here are some of them.
TANI Buncho(1763～1841) painted three scroll paintings in one set depicting Mt.Fuji from the view at Miho no Matsubara which has been long noted for many beautiful pine trees lining up the seashore.
Mt. Fuji has been a spiritual spot for Japanese people, which fascinated many artists and Buncho was not the exception.
He became a disciple of KATO Bunrei in the Kano school at the age of 12. When he was 20, his master passed away. He started working with masters in other schools after studying at Hokusouga（the northern school of Chinese painting). He created his own style of painting taking various painting methods which he had learned. He was a genius at poetry, too.
He had many disciples and worked together with them.
The title of this woodblock print is "Station、No.11" from the series 'the Station of the Tokaido Road with its beauties' by KEISAI Eisen(1791～1848).
You see Mt. Fuji, the mountains of Hakone, and Lake Ashinoko behind the woman. Hakone became famous for a hot spring resort during the Edo era and healed the tired travelers passing along the Old Hakone Road.
Eisen drew a woman getting out of the mosquito net and lighting the lamp.
Near the paper-covered lamp, there are a pair of teacups on the tray and a tobacco pipe. Can you guess.......?
KEISAI Eisen drew sexy and sensual beauties in decadent style, while KITAGAWA Utamaro drew women's face and hair arranged elegantly and beautifully.
The woodblock print is titled Sodegaura in Soshu Province, from the series Rare Views, by KATSUSHIKA Hokusai(1760～1849).
It depicts a clear day just after it had snowed. You see Mt. Fuji behind the snow blanketed trees on the rocky mountains.
You see the lapping waves, travelers, and then the rocky mountains blanketed by snow. Finally you can find Mt.Fuji behind the mountains, which is a remarkably well composed work.
KATSUSHIKA Hokusai moved 93 times through his lifetime. He couldn't help but to look for another place to work, after he threw away papers all over the tatami floor in the house, when he failed to draw any pictures.
The woodblock printing above is titled " Gifts of the Ebb Tide" by KITAGAWA Utamaro (? ～1806).
This print depicts the women playing 'Kaiawase' which requires the players to pair the two parts of clamshells. They decorated inside of the clamshell with Makie (gold or silver lacquer).
This is from one of the seven kyoka books which were published by a publisher TSUTAYA Juzaburo. Each page of the books has a picture and kyoka.
Kyoka(狂歌) is a parody of tanka(Japanese poem) that contains social satire, irony, and humor in 31(5-7-5-7-7) syllables.
The Kyoka enjoyed popularity among citizens in the Edo era.
Judging from his unclear birth date and place, he probably had hard days in his childhood.
TORIYAMA Sekien who was a famous literate(文人）fostered Utamaro. He spent most of the time devoting himself to observing the insects around the neighborhood. One day one of the Seiken's disciples found the sketches of crickets(コオロギ）and dayflies(カゲロウ）drawn by Utamaro so well, this is when the boy felt the confidence for the first time.
He started his career as Sekiyo when he began to draw eggplants in the Haiku(poetry) book. In 1775, he left Seiken's school and debuted as KITAGAWA Toyoaki. After that he was welcomed by TSUTAYA Juzaburo who was a great ukiyoe publisher and producer at that time. Consequently, he became a great Ukiyoe artist featuring 'Okubie', bust portraits.
* The retrospective of Tiger Tateishi(1941～1998) is now on view from Apr.10 to Jul.4.
He is called 'Magical Artist in pop Art genre'.
Source: brochure of Chiba City Museum of Art
Some workshops are held on the 4th floor.
You can see one of them "Art Share Field" by MUTO Akiko here.
Source: brochure of Chiba City Museum of Art
More about Chiba City Museum of Art: please access https://www.tokyo2020chiba.com/post/shall-we-see-the-museums
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