The exhibition selected from the permanent collection is now on view from Mar.8 to Apr. 3.
It includes Japanese paintings and woodblock prints from the 17th to the early 20th centuries by TORII Kiyohiro, TANOMURA Chikuzen, KEISAI Eisen, KOBAYASHI Kiyochika, TOYOHARA Chikayoshi, YOSHU Chikanobu, and so on under the theme of "Verities of Flowers".
Here are some of them.
The title of the woodblock print above is "Enjoying Cherry Blossoms at Ueno Park" by TOYOHARA Chikayoshi (豊原周義), whose date of birth and death are unknown.
She depicted the Meiji Emperor and Empress and their consorts viewing cherry blossoms in their best at Ueno Park. You'll see Meiji Emperor on the balcony of Kiyomizu Hall, Kaneiji (寛永寺), Empress, and a crown prince or future Taisho Emperor on the lower middle.
The print was published in around 1875～1878 (Meiji 8～13).
The title of the hanging scroll left is "The Shade of Flowers" by TORII Kiyohiro (鳥居清広). The date of birth and death was unknown.
You'll see a boy trying to tie a strip of paper with tanka written on it to the tree. Tanka is a thirty-one syllabled verse.
This woodblock print was a Hashirae which people hung on the indoor pillar.
He made it between 1751 and 1764.
The title of the hanging scroll above is "Fragrant olive and Chrysanthemum in a Vase". by TANOMURA Chikuden, 田能村竹田(1777～1835). Chikuden is well known for his depictions of flowers, birds, and landscapes, often melancholic in style.
The above is a guidebook for flower arrangement compiled by TEISHOUSAI Kazuma、貞松斉一馬(1764 ～1838) and TAWARAYA Sori, 俵屋宗理 whose date of birth and death are unknown.
Sori was a disciple of KATSUSHIKA Hokusai.
The book shows that the way of placing curved branches and stems contributes to the attractive flower arrangement. Citizens in Edo learned how to arrange flowers through this guidebook.
The title of the woodblock print above is "Three pairs of Cherry Blossoms and Beauties" by GAKUTEI Harunobu岳亭春信 (?～1869?)
Harunobu depicted three beauties wearing kimono with the different patterns of cherry blossoms.
This print was published in around 1804-18 (文化末期)
The title of the woodblock print above is "The Cherry Tree at Kawagoe," from the series Eight Scenes of Cherry Blossom, by YOSHIDA Hiroshi 吉田博 (1876～1950).
Hiroshi depicted a cherry tree at Kitain (喜多院) which has been said that the third Shogun Iemitsu(徳川家光) planted. He intentionally drew people so small that he conveyed how tall and old the tree was.
The title of the woodblock print above is "Cherry Blossom viewing Party" by MAEKAWA Senpan 前川千帆(1888～1960).
Senpan depicted merry people using warm colors such as yellow, pink, and dark red, as if you were invited to the site.
＊Secial Edition: Prints from Fuse Collection
Please visit the blog 'Selection from the Permanent Collection XI' I posted on Jan. 9.
FUSE Toshio(布施俊夫) was born in Chiba City in 1920 (大正9年). Besides his work in a pharmaceutical company, he was enthusiastic about collecting works of art. Seventy-five works, mostly prints by European and Japanese artists from the 16th century to recent times, were donated to Chiba City by FUSE Toshiko in 1995 (平成7年).
＊Special Edition: Calligraphy as the second Japonisme
The source of the image is the poster in front of the entrance.
More about Chiba City Museum of Art: please access