The exhibition selected from permanent collection is on view Oct. 4～Nov. 5, 2023.
*Special Feature: HANABUSA Itcho and his disciples:
Itcho was born in Kyoto in 1652 and passed away on February 7, 1724.
He depicted typical citizen's life, studied poetry under the master MATSUO Basho, and he was an excellent calligrapher as well.
Itcho led a unique life. He was exiled to Miyake jima island in 1698 because it is said that he parodied a painting of one of the shogun's concubines. He kept depicting pictures there until 1709 when he was granted an amnesty to return to Edo. Then he devoted the rest of his life to paintings.
The title of the silk hanging scroll is "Standing Beauty" depicted by HANABUSA Itcho. Itcho was talented in not only depicting pictures but also entertaining guests at Yoshiwara (a red district in Edo).
It was depicted during 1688 and 1744.
This is a part of six-folding screen created as a pair, titled "Scenes of People Taking a Ferry boat and Shelter from the Rain" by KO Sukoku (1730～1804), who is a disciple of SAWAKI Sushi (1707～1772), one of Itcho's disciples.
It was depicted in Edo Era.
*Special feature: UTAGAWA Hiroshige
UTAGAWA Hiroshige was born in 1797, when ukiyo-e was at its peak in popularity, and passed away on October 12, 1858.
Hiroshige is a renowned ukiyo-e artist and influenced Western European artists, when the wave of Japonism was sweeping over Europe in the 19th century.
The title of the woodblock print is "Night Snow in Kanbara" from the series Fifty-three Post Stations of the Tokaidō"
In 1832, Hiroshige was invited to join an official procession to Kyoto, which gave him the opportunity to sketch the scenery along the Tokaido route that connected Edo and Kyoto. After he went back to Edo, he produced the series of The Fifty-three Post Stations of the Tokaido.
It was published in 1834 and 1835.
The title of the woodblock print is "Oi" from the series Sixty-nine Stations of Kiso Road in which Hiroshige depicted 71 prints via inland route from Nihonbashi (in Edo) to Otsu (near Kyoto). The series are follow-up creations to "Fifty-three Post Stations of the Tokaidō". Hiroshige and KEISAI Eisen shared design of the prints. The whole prints of the series were 71. Hiroshige designed latter 35 prints and Eisen, 35 prints.
It was published during 1835 and 1842.
The title of the woodblock print is "Toriimoto," from the series Sixty-nine Stations of Kiso Road
It was published during 1835-42.
The title of the woodblock print is "Otsu" from the series Sixty-nine Stations of Kiso Road
It was published during 1835 and 1842.
The title of the woodblock print is "Maple Leaves and the Tekona Shrine and Tsugi-hashi Bridge of Mama", from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo. In the series Hiroshige often places large-scale objects in the foreground, which contributes to adding depth to the composition.
*Special Feature: KAWASE Hasui, commemorating the 140th anniversary of his birth
KAWASE Hasui is a prominent Shinhanga artist. What is shinhanga? Please visit my previous blog
Hasui was born on May 7, 1883 and passed away on November 1957.
He sketched traveling across Japan and worked almost exclusively on landscape and townscape prints, incorporating western realistic expressions. His works are full of lyricism.
The title of the woodblock print is "Nigatsu Hall" from Souvenirs of Travel, Second Series.
Hasui sees himself in the pilgrim who is viewing landscapes of Nara.
It was published in 1921 (Taisho 10)
The title of the woodblock is "Tsukumojia, Shimabara from Selection of scenes of Japan.
It was published in 1922 (Taisho 11)
The title of the woodblock print is "Aikawa Town", Sado from souvenirs of Second Travel.
Hasui effectively utilized the contrast between light and dark to depict the sunset.
It was published in 1921 (Taisho 10).
More about Chiba City Museum of Art: please access https://www.tokyo2020chiba.com/post/shall-we-see-the-museum