Old Japanese Paintings: The Masters who Colored the Edo Period

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Kashima Arts has continually sook to reinvent the ways Japanese art has been presented, all the while aspiring to share the various joys and values art brings when incorporated into daily life. Now more than ever, there is a need for inspiration. Drawn from various philosophies and numerous generations of cultural and historical growth, traditional Japanese works of art have maintained everlasting aesthetics, while continuing the enlightenment of the present with ancient wisdom. With each exhibition focusing on an essential Japanese art genre, these exhibitions recall the richness of the times that are now rarely seen. Each edition focuses on a major category of Japanese art, from Modern Paintings to Calligraphy and Old Paintings, and is being held from Autumn to Winter of this year. The third and final installment, “Old Japanese Paintings: The Masters who Colored the Edo Period,” offers a selection of early modern paintings that centers on the Edo period.
A retrospective of the various Japanese art masters Kashima Arts has introduced over the years, this event represents one of the cornerstones of the gallery’s ever-changing history.

While the Edo period brought an end to a long period of turmoil, it also marked a social revolution where works of art, once exclusive solely to nobility, daimyo, priests, pre-eminent merchants and those of social authority, became widely available for the enjoyment of the masses. As a result, painters previously constrained by conservative and conventional artistic practices began to take an active role. With this, the Edo period gifted Japan with 300 years of cultural and artistic prosperity. While maintaining tradition, Edo period paintings developed a rich visual culture that elaborated from past motifs and formed new, liberated forms of creative expression. With their timeless and alluring aesthetics, these works are the ultimate emblems of Japanese art. Offering works by the masters who led the artistic development of the Edo period, Kashima Arts will commemorate the end of 2020 with a selection of one of their best specialties.

Featuring a wide selection of works by artists of great influence, the exhibition lineup begins with works by Maryukama Okyo, Maruyama school founder, who is said to have led 3000 pupils, to works by the esoteric literary icons of the spiritual world, such as Ikeno Taiga, Yosa Buson, and Uragami Gyokudo. Even more, the exhibition offers works by Shiba Kokan, the innovative painter who fused Western and Eastern aesthetic, as well as the acclaimed Rinpa artist, Sakai Hoitsu. In addition, the lineup features the works of the artists who, through their impact on the Edo period, continue to wield great influence in the present, such as Ito Jakuschu, Soga Shohaku, Nagasawa Rosetsu and more. Featuring approximately 50 works, the collection presents works that exemplify an artistic resonance through the convergence of various cultural practices and the development of rich and vanguard aesthetics.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the practice of social distancing has been an incredibly valuable and justified precaution. Prioritizing safety, Kashima Arts aims to share the experience of viewing art by providing free catalogs that illustrates installation shots as well as exhibited works and their specified pricing. To request for a physical or online e-catalog, please contact Kashima Arts. All inquiries, like additional images of works and condition reports, are welcomed over email, phone or fax.

Unlike typical museum displays, works will be on exhibit without display casing at the gallery. Without the distraction of glass or plastic casing, visitors can finally view the work fully, with its minute details and textures. A rare chance to view works up close, this is an opportunity to experience art in an intimate setting.

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