Weekly Topics/Archive
May 2023 |
Today, we visit the 10th anniversary exhibition “Jakuchu and Isson” at
the Okada
Museum of Art in Kowakidani.
Originally, the visit to the art exhibition was not included the itinerary
of this trip to
Hakone Onsen.
Yesterday, I was looking at a leaflet for the Okada Museum of Art at the tourist corner
of Odawara Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway, and found out that this
exhibition
was being held.
Moreover, it was a special exhibition of the great painters Ito Jakuchu
of the Edo period
and Isson Tanaka of the Showa period.
Before breakfast, I soaked in another indoor bath to refresh myself.
After checking out, we were sent by courtesy car to bus stop for Gora (Hotel-mae).
The Hakone Tozan Bus runs every 15 minutes and is very convenient.
When getting off at the Kowakien bus stop and crossing at the crosswalk,
we saw
the front door of the Okada Museum of Art.
[Note] Jakuchu ; 伊藤若冲、 Isson ; 田中一村、 itinerary ; 旅行計画、旅程
courtesy car ; (ホテルなどの)送迎車、 cross at the crosswalk ; 横断歩道を渡る、信号を渡る
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| The front door of the Okada Museum of Art (2023.04.17_09:25) |
We walked from the front door of the Museum to the entrance.
Off course, this is the first time visiting this art museum.
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The entrance of the Okada Museum of Art
(2023.04.17_09:27) |
Monument in front of the entrance
(2023.04.17_09:27) |
I bought admission tickets at the reception.
I was aware that the admission fee was 2,800 yen, but it's twice as much
as a normal art
museum, which makes my eyes bulge.
Is that Hakone price?
Even if I use the discount coupon I got at KKR, it is 2,600 yen per person.
Silver discount was not applied.
This is the leaflet for the exhibition.
The commemorative exhibition is planned to be divided into 2 parts.
The 1s tpart is currently being held under the theme of “Jakuchu and Isson”,
while
the 2nd part will be held from June 11th to December 10th, 2023 under the
theme of
“Utamaro and Hokusai”.
[Note] twice as much as ～ ; ～の2倍の、 be aware that ～ ; ～を知っている
make someone's eyes bulge ; (主語のせいで)目をむく (値段が高くて驚く)という比喩的意味で使われる
bulge ; 膨らむ、出っ張る、 divide into 2 parts ; 2部に分ける
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| The leaflet of commemorative exhibition (2023.04.17_09:35) |
Admission ticket |
When we entered the museum, we were told by a staff member that we were
not allowed
to bring cameras, smartphones, or food or drinks into the museum, and so
please leave
them in the coin lockers at the entrance.
(It seems that the coin will be returned when we take out the baggage.)
We were surprised at the strict security check that followed.
It was a thorough screening process, like going through X-ray and metal
detectors at an
airport gate.
First, we went up to the 3rd floor by elevator to see the special exhibition.
[Note] staff member ; 係員、 food and drink ; 飲食物(drink and foodとは言わない)
thorough ; 徹底的な、綿密な、 screening process ; スクリーニング(審査)過程(手順)
metal detector ; 金属探知機、 go up to the 3rd floor by ～ ; ～で3階まで上がる
10th Anniversary Exhibition Part 1
Jakuchu and Isson ―Transcending Time―
December 25th(Sunday),2022～June 4th(Sunday),2023
In this exhibition, including Jakuchu's colored paintings which were painted
energetically from
his late 30s to 40s, Isson's masterpieces from his time living on the island of Amami Oshima,
various combinations of paintings by these two artists were exhibited with
themes such as ink
paintings and paintings depicting the same kind of bird.
The works on display are 7 pieces by Jakuchu (from the museum's collection)
and 7 by Isson
(2 pieces from a private collection).
[Note] colored painting ; 彩色画、 energetically ; 精力的に、元気いっぱいに
masterpiece ; 名作、傑作、 ink painting ; 墨絵、 depict ; (絵、映像、文章などで～を)描く、表現する
private collection ; 個人蔵
First, let me introduce Jakuchu Ito and Isson Tanaka from the leaflet
of the commemorative
exhibition.
Jakuchu Ito (1716～1800)
Born as the eldest son of a vegetable
wholesaler in Takakura Nishikikoji, Kyoto.
While working in the family business, he
learned the Kano school painters,
progressed to replicating Chinese paintings,
and eventually began to copy painting
creatures. At the age of 40, he retired and
devoted himself to painting. While he did
not like happiness and devoted himself to
drawing, he devoted to himself to Zen, lived
as a Buddhist, and lived an unusually long
life of 85 years at the time. He left excellent
works in both vivid and detailed colored
painting and light and stylish ink paintings. |
Isson Tanaka (1908～77)
Born as the eldest son of a sculptor in
current Tochigi City, and moved to Tokyo
wen he was 5 years old. At the Age of 17,
he was admitted to the Tokyo Fine Arts
School (Currently Tokyo National
University of Fine Arts and Music), but
dropped out after just over two months
and continued to paint on his own.
After living in Chiba from the age of 29,
he moved to Amami Oshima alone at the
age of 50 and drew semitropical creatures.
His paintings, which he drew “to satisfy his
own conscience”away from art world, have
inspired many people.
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In the past, I have seen not only Jakuchu's exhibition but also Isson's
exhibition.
About Isson, I saw the “Tanaka Isson Exhibition” at the Sagawa Art Museum
in Moriyama City,
Shiga Prefecture 5 years ago.
His works of that time has been uploaded to this website (Diary.875 in Japanese), so please
take a look at them as well.
Now, let me introduce the main works by Jakuchu and Isson.
Also, I want to make it clear that the image of each work are excerpted
and reprinted from the
reference materials at the end of the article.
[Note] as well ; 同様に、併せて、 I want to make clear it that ～ ; ～(that以下のことを)断っておく
excerpt and reprint ; 抜粋・転載する (excerpt ; 抜粋する、引用する)
reference material ; 参考資料、 at the end of an article ; 文末に、記事の最後に
| Part 1 Colorful Creatures |
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Jakuchu Ito, “Flowers and Rooster”,
Color painting on silk,
Mid-Edo period(mid-18th century),
An early work from the time when he was
the owner of a vegetable wholesaler |
Jakuchu Ito, “Birds and Plum Blossoms”,
Color painting on silk,
Mid-Edo period (latter half of
the 18th century) |
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Jakuchu Ito, “Peacock and Phoenix”, Color painting on silk, 2 piecies,
Edo period [around Horeki 5 (1755)], Important art object,
Masterpiece at the age of 40 when he handed over the family business
to his younger brother and devoted himself to painting,
Daimyo's old collection |
[Note] flowers and Rooster (Kaki-yuukei-zu) ; 花卉雄鶏図、 rooster ; 雄鶏
color painting on silk ; 絹本著色, vegetable wholesaler ; 青物問屋
Birds and Plum Blossoms (Baika-shokin-zu) ; 梅花小禽図
Peacock and Phoenix( Kujaku-houou-zu) ; 孔雀鳳凰図、 phoenix ; 鳳凰, 不死鳥
hand over ; 譲り渡す、引き渡す、 devote oneself to ～ ; ～に専念(没頭、熱中)する
Jakuchu Ito, “Rooster in snow” ↑↑
Color painting on silk, Mid-Edo period
(latte half of the 18th century) |
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Isson Tanaka, “Ruddy Kingfisher and White
Flowers”,A framed color painting on silk, ⇒⇒
1967 (Showa 42) |
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| Isson Tanaka, “3 species of tropical fish”, A framed color painting on
silk, 1973(Showa 48) |
Both Jakuchu and Isson's works have distinctive painting styles and subjects,
so I can tell who
painted the artwork at a glance.
Jakuchu's works are characterized by flower-and bird paintings, especially
chicken motifs, with
dark colors, detailed depictions, and eccentric compositions.
Isson's works are characterized by vivid colors and elaborate depictions of plants and birds
(particularly those found on the southern island of Amami Oshima), as well
as bold decorative
compositions reminiscent of Gauguin.
I felt that they were painters with a similar style of painting.
[Note] Rooster in snow (Setchu-yukei-zu) ; 雪中雄鶏図
Ruddy Kingfisher and White Flowers (Shirobana-to-Akasyobin) ; 白花と赤翡翠(アカショウビン)
framed ; 額に入った、 distinctive ; 独特の、特色のある、 at a glance ; 一目見て、一見しただけで
be characterized by ～ ; ～に特徴付けられる、～の特徴がある、 flower-and-bird painting ;
花鳥画
detailed depiction ; きめ細かな描写、 eccentric ; 奇抜な、一風変わった、 composition ; 構図、組成
vivid color ; 強い色彩、鮮明な色、 elaborate ; 精緻な、 bold ; 大胆な、力強い
reminiscent of ～; ～を思い出させる(を彷彿とさせる、を連想させる)、 Gauguin ; ゴーギャン(仏人画家)
| Part 2 The world of ink paintig |
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Jakuchu Ito, “Rooster Standing on a Hat”,
Ink painting on paper,
Mid-Edo period (late 18 century) |
Jakuchu Ito, “Crested Myna and
the Moon”, Ink painting on paper,
Mid-Edo period (latter half of
18 century) |
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Jakuchu Ito, “Thirty-Six Immortal Poets”,
Ink painting on paper, rokkyoku-isso (6 pair of screen created a pair),
Edo period 1796 (Kansei 8) |
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↑↑
Isson Tanaka,“ butterfly”
Color painting on paper,
Showa 20's (Mid 20th century)
←←Isson Tanaka, “Waterfall”
A framed Ink painting on paper
Arround 1955(Showa 30)
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Isson Tanaka, “irises”,
A framed color painting on silk,
1955 (Showa 30) |
Isson Tanaka, “Hydrangeas”,
A framed color painting on silk,
1955 (Showa 30)
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I didn't know that Jakuchu and Isson also drew not only color paintings but also ink paintings.
Jakuchu's ink paintings are somehow humorous.
[Note] Rooster Standing on a Hat (Kasa-ni-keizu) ; 笠に鶏図
Crested Myna and the Moon (Tsuki-ni-hahachou-zu) ; 月に叭々鳥図
crested ; (鳥の頭に)とさかのある、 Myna ; 九官鳥、 crested myna ; 叭々鳥(ハハチョウ)
Thirty-Six Immortal Poets (Sanjurokkasen-zu-byobu) ; 三十六歌仙図屏風
immortal ; (名声、功績などが)不朽の、不滅の、 swallowtail butterfly ; 揚羽蝶(アゲハチョウ)
rokkyoku-isso (six panel of screen as a pair) ; 六曲一双
waterfall ; 瀑布、滝、 irises (hana-syoubu) ; 花菖蒲(ハナショウブ)
hydrangeas (ajisai) ; 紫陽花(アジサイ)、 somehow ; どことなく、どういうわけか
| Part 3 Contemporary Painters & Influential Artists |
Here, under the title of “Contemporary Painters and Influential Artist”,
works of painters
who are related to them were exhibited.
The works on display are 12 from the museum's collections and 2 from private
collections.
[Note] contemporary ; 同時代に存在した(起こった)、同年配(同時期)の人
a contemporary of someone's ; (人と)同時代の人、 、 influential ; 影響力のある(を与える)
Below is a work by Okyo Maruyama, a painter who was a contemporary of
Jakuchu.
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| Okyo Maruyama, “Dogs ”, ink painting on silk, Edo period 1773(An'ei 2) |
Below is a work by Gyoshu Hayami, a painter who was a contemporary of
Isson.
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| Gyoshu Hayami, “Bambooss ”, Color painting on silk, 1928(Showa 3) |
We were surprised that there was also another exhibition corner of pornographic
paintings.
Most of them were pretty radical depictions.
The above is an overview of the special exhibition.
As other exhibitions, there were displays of pottery and paintings as
a featured exhibition
“360th anniversary of Kenzan Ogata” and museum's collection of Chinese ceramics, Hizen
porcelain and Japanese pottery such as Ninsei Nonomura's Kyo-yaki as permanent
exhibition.
I didn't have much interests in pottery, so I took a quick look around.
[Note] pornographic painting ; 春画、 radical ; 過激な、 pottery ; 焼物
featured exhibition ; 特集展示、 Kenzan Ogata ; 尾形乾山、 porcelan ; 磁器
Ninsei Nonomura ; 野々村仁清、 permanent exhibition ; 常設展示
take a quick look around ; ざっと見て回る、一通り見物する
Although the number of works by Jakuchu and Isson was small, it was a
wonderful special
exhibition.
Every work was something I had never seen before.
The admission fee was expensive, but I was satisfied because the exhibition
was worth it.
From June, a special exhibition titled “Part 2: “Utamaro and Hokusai －Ukiyo-e
that Created
the Era－” will be held.
Both are my favourite ukiyo-e artists.
If I have the chance, I would definitely like to see their works in the
museun collection.
[Note] be worth something ; 何かの価値がある、 Utamaro and Hokusai ; 歌麿と北斎
ukiyo-e ; 浮世絵、 would definitely like to do ～ ; 是非とも～したい
[References]
①The leaflet of commemorative exhibition “Jakuchu and Isson ―Transcending Time―”
②若冲と一村 ―時を越えてつながる―｜開催中の展覧会｜岡田美術館｜岡田美術館 OKADA MUSEUM OF ART
(okada-museum.com)
③【レビュー】開館10周年記念展 第1部「若冲と一村 ―時を越えてつながる―」岡田美術館6月4日まで 描くことだけに
情熱を注いだふたりの豪華共演 – 美術展ナビ (artexhibition.jp)
Japanese diary-2.1124 / 「箱根の温泉を堪能して岡田美術館へ(2/2)
－岡田美術館で開館10周年記念展『若冲と一村』を見学－｣
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