Saturday 4 July 2020

125 - Sosen: First Gibbon in Japan


Mori Sosen, Gibbon, Painting, Japanese
Sosen: First Gibbon in Japan
 
This is said to be the first gibbon ever seen in Japan. The artist is Mori Sosen (1747-1821), a Japanese painter, mainly know for his monkey motives. This drawing is an illustration in a book, "Kenkadō-zatsuroku" by Kimura Kenkadō.

According to this book, the gibbon was shown in Osaka in 1809.


Saturday 27 June 2020

124 - Koitsu: Spring Snow at Maruyama Park


Koitsu, Shin-hanga
Koitsu: Spring Snow at Maruyama Park

Tsuchiya Koitsu (1879-1949) doesn't belong to best known Shin-hanga masters, but in my opinion he is underrated. He definitely is one of the best when it comes to landscapes.

Here we see a snowy landscape as only Japanese artists can catch it: Spring Snow at Maruyama Park, a print from 1936.


Saturday 20 June 2020

123 - Yoshitsuya: A Charm against Measles


Ukiyo-e, Utagawa Yoshitsuya, A Charm
Utagawa Yoshitsuya: A Charm against Measles, 1862

This is Hashika no mamori (A Charm Against Measles), from 1862, a woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshitsuya (1822-1866).

This is protective magic against illness, typical for Japan. Yoshitsuya was otherwise best known for his prints of warriors, a genre also favoured by his teacher, Kuniyoshi. Yoshitsuya took the first part of his name from the last part of the name of his teacher, which was common practice at the time.


Saturday 13 June 2020

122 - Keishu: Beauty with Lantern

 
Takeuchi Keishu: Beauty with lantern

This is a bijinga, Beauty with lantern by Takeuchi Keishu (1861-1942). The print is from 1900-1910. Keishu's teacher was the great Tsukioka Yoshitoshi.



Saturday 6 June 2020

121 - Kuniyoshi: Minamato no Tametomo

Kuniyoshi: Minamato no Tametomo

This print is an aka-e, a red print intended to protect against smallpox. It depicts Minamato no Tametomo, is from 1840 and was made by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.

Minamato no Tametomo was a samurai living 1139-1170. In 1156, he fought in the rebellion, which is known as the Hōgen Rebellion. He was famous for his archery.


Saturday 30 May 2020

120 - Shunzan: Hotei God on a Boat Catching Shojo Goblins with a Sake Cup


Shunzan. Hotei. Shojo Goblins. Ukiyo-e.
Shunzan: Hotei God on a Boat Catching Shojo Goblins with a Sake Cup

Hotei is one of the Shichi fukujin, "Seven Gods of Luck", a common motive in Japanese art. He carries a bag, Nunobukuro [布袋], which is never empty, and from which he feeds the needy. The origin of Hotei is a real person, the Chinese Buddhist monk Budaishi. He is considered an incarnation of Matreiya, or in Japanese: Miroku Bodhisattva. Budaishi died in 917 AD.

This print from the 1780s by Katsukawa Shunzan (active 1782-1798) shows Hotei God on a Boat Catching Shojo Goblins with a Sake Cup.

Saturday 23 May 2020

119 - Hasui: Saishô Temple in Hirosaki


Kawase Hasui, Ukiyo-e. Shin hanga. Hirosaki.
Hasui: Saishô Temple in Hirosaki

This is a shin-hanga print by Kawase Hasui (1883-1957). It depicts a Saishô Temple in Hirosaki (Hirosaki, Saishô-in), and is taken from the series Collection of Scenic Views of Japan (Nihon fûkei shû higashi Nihon hen), 1936.

Hasui is one of the foremost shin-hanga artists. His speciality was landscapes and townscapes.


Saturday 16 May 2020

118 - Kuniyoshi: Fûten, the wind god.


Kuniyoshi. Fûten. Wind god.
Kuniyoshi: Fûten, the wind god.

This is Fûten (巽風), the wind god, manipulating his swirling bag accompanied by a storm-bird; a print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. The print is from 1837 or 1838, and is part of a series of illustrations to a book, "Shûeki hakke e" 周易八卦絵, Universal Divination by the Eight Trigrams. Only two prints from this series are known; it is unclear if Kuniyoshi ever completed it.

The eight trigrams are symbols of Chinese origin. They can be combined into 64 different hexagrams and are used for divination. It is extensively described in the ancient Chinese book "I Ching".

According to legend, the trigrams were found on the back of a tortoise - a discovery attributed to Chinese emperor Fu Hsi, in the 24th century BC.

Saturday 9 May 2020

117 - Yoshitsuya: Fight Between Yorimitsu & Hakamadare


Ukiyo-e, Yoshitsuya. Yorimitsu. Hakamadare. Serpent.
Yoshitsuya: Fight Between Yorimitsu & Hakamadare

This is a print from 1858, by Utagawa Yoshitsuya. Its complete title is "Battle Between Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his men and Hakamadare Yasusuke, assisted by a giant snake”.

Minamoto no Yorimitsu (aka Raiko) was a legendary Samurai hero, and Hakamadare Yasusuke, a likewise legendary bandit chief.

Hakamadare turns up in two stories in Konjaku Monogatari, an ancient collection of tales. In this print, Yorimitsu tries to destroy Hakamadare's magic.


Saturday 2 May 2020

116 - Kosetsu: Two biljin walking in a Cherry orchard at dusk

Kosetsu, Ukiyo-e, Shin-hanga, Bijinga
Kosetsu: Two biljin walking in a Cherry orchard at dusk

This is a print by a less known artist, Miseuchi Kosetsu, active in the 1920s. The print is probably from 1924, It's a bijinga with two bijin looking at cherry blossoms (sakura).


Saturday 25 April 2020

115 - Koson: Crow on a Snowy Bough


Ohara Koson, Crow on a Snowy Bough, Shin-hanga, Ukiyo-e
Ohara Koson: Crow on a Snowy Bough


This is a kachô-e by Ohara Koson (1877-1945), who was a brilliant artist when it comes to kachô-e within the shin hanga movement.

Kachô-e is a subgenre of ukiyo-e, shin hanga and Japanese art in general. Originally, its motives were flowers and birds, but more generally, it comprises flora and fauna. 

Japanese names are written with the family name first. Artists are mostly signing with their given name or a pseudonym. Ohara Koson signed his works "Koson", later "Shōson", and sometimes "Hoson".

This print, Crow on a Snowy Bough, was made some time between 1900 and 1910.


Saturday 18 April 2020

114 - Nishikawa Sukenobu: On the Wisdom of Animals


Nishikawa Sukenobu, Ukiyo-e
Nishikawa Sukenobu: On the Wisdom of Animals

Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1750) was one of the earliest ukiyo-e artists; it is possible he was Harunobu's teacher, but that cannot be verified.

I have not been able to establish from which exact year this print is, but the colour print was still not invented.


Saturday 11 April 2020

113 - Shōtei: Katsushika


Takahashi Shōtei, Katsushika, Shin-hanga
Shōtei: Katsushika

Takahashi Shōtei (1871-1945) is considered as the creator of a style called shin-hanga. That means "new prints" and refers to a revival of ukiyo-e and is, in fact, evolved ukiyo-e.

The term was coined by publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō in 1915. He wanted to mark that it was not commercial mass art as ukiyo-e had been; contrary to ukiyo-e, it was also directed mainly to a western audience. Shin-hanga never became popular in Japan.


Saturday 4 April 2020

112 - Utamaro: Three Lucky New Year Dreams


Benigirai-e
Utamaro: Three Lucky New Year Dreams

This is a Benigirai-e by Utamaro from about 1800: Three Lucky New Year Dreams: Fuji, Falcon, Eggplant.

Benigirai-e translates to "picture hating red". It's a style where the artist avoids using red or reddish tones. It was fashionable in the 1780s.

Saturday 28 March 2020

111 - Tsukimaro: Painting


Ukiyo-e. Tsukimaro. Painting.
Tsukimaro: Painting

Kitagawa Tsukimaro (1804-1836) was Utamaro's student. This is a beautiful painting (colour on silk) in a style where ukiyo-e has absorbed some Western and Chinese elements. A rare combination.

The girl is not Japanese, but clearly Chinese. Probably it is Yang Guifei, concubine of the Tang emperor Xuanzong, who ruled China 712-756. She was known as China's most beautiful woman. The emperor is said to have neglected his empire for her sake, which caused Tang China to decline. She ended up executed by strangulation after the An Lushan rebellion. Her life is the subject of a large number of Chinese dramas and poems.


Saturday 21 March 2020

110 - Nobukazu: A princess and her guard


Ukiyo-e. Nobukazu.
Nobukazu: A princess and her guard

A  princess and her guard by Nobukazu. Not much is known about this print, but it is probably from about 1890.

Note the two black spots over the eyes of the princess. They are painted eyebrows. The beauty ideal of the times dictated that the real eyebrows were shaved off and replaced with painted lines extremely high up on the forehead.


Saturday 14 March 2020

109 - Yoshitoshi: Komori no godanme


Ukiyo-e. Bats. Chūshingura. Yoshitoshi.
Yoshitoshi: Komori no godanme

Komori no godanme (Bats in the Fifth Act of Chūshingura [Treasury of Loyal Retainers]), from an untilted series known as Yoshitoshi ryakuga (Sketches by Yoshitoshi) 1880-1883.

In the past in Japan, as well as in China, bats were symbols of good luck. But the modern Japanese view is influenced by western tradition, where bats have a more ominous meaning - so the modern symbolic meaning of a bat is more complex. During the Edo period, however, the old view of the bat as an entirely good omen prevailed.


Ukiyo-e-of-the-Week is back!

During these almost two years since I stopped publishing new material here, I have received inummerable emails asking me to revive this blog. For long I resisted; among a large number of other activities, I simply had not time enough. However, a couple of passionate readers offered to donate some money for the project if I reconsidered, and making this a paying activity would change the preconditions. I agreed to revive the blog for a test period, after that we may see. Upon their advice, I will also put up a link for voluntary donations i Bitcoin. Donations are optional, but be aware that also very small donations make a difference.

Posting returns today, and I will try to keep it to Saturdays, just as before. I will, however, extend the subject of the blog beyond ukiyo-e in a strict sense and include some works from the Shin Hanga and Sosaku Hanga Movements, both of which can be said to be offsprings of ukiyo-e.

Just as before, every post will feature a print, sometimes a painting, and I will accompany it with a brief text. Sometimes the text will be only the name of the artist, the work and when it was made, but mostly I will try to elaborate briefly about artist and motive, sometimes with a short introduction to some element of Japanese history or folklore. I like to see this blog as a combination of entertainment and education: enjoy beautiful art and learn something about the rich Japanese culture at the same time.