Exhibition Overview:
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 specialities.

Exhibition Highlights:
1. A Large Offering of Works by Major Artists from the Edo Period
Featuring a wide selection of works, this lineup of works exemplifies the unique artistic resonance that emerged with the convergence of various cultural practices and the development of rich and vanguard aesthetics. Beginning with Maruyama school founder, Maruyama Okyo, who is said to have led 3000 pupils, the exhibition offers works by essential literary icons, i.e. Ikeno Taiga, Yosa Buson, and Uragami Gyokudo. Even more, are the works of Shiba Kokan, the innovative painter who fused Western and Eastern aesthetics, as well as the acclaimed Rinpa artist, Sakai Hoitsu. In addition, the exhibition also offers works by artists who, through their impact on the Edo period, continue to wield great influence in the present; Ito Jakuchu, Soga Shohaku, Nagasawa Rosetsu and more.

2. View Art in the Safety of Your Home
Prioritizing, both, the safety and satisfaction of all customers, Kashima Arts has prepared free in-house digital catalogs that illustrate installation shots as well as exhibited works and their specified pricing. E-catalogs can be accessed on any internet device, so works can be viewed anywhere, like in the pleasure and safety of a home. Please email [email protected] to register for this offer.

3. A Chance to View Valuable Works of Art Without Display Casing
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 chance to view works up close, this is an opportunity to experience art in an intimate setting.

Featured Works:
❶ Ito Jakuchu, Cranes
❷Reizei Tamechika, The First Day of the Year of the Rat
❸ Sakai Hoitsu, Early Summer
❹ Ikeno Gyokuran, Landscape
❺Nagasawa Rosetsu, Sparrows on Magnolia Tree

- On the Kashima Arts Special Exhibition Series: An Anthology of Japanese Art
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. Now more than ever, there is a need and demand 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 to enlighten 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 will only be held this year.

Event Details:
Exhibition Title: “Old Japanese Paintings: The Masters who Colored the Edo Period”
Website: https://www.kashima-arts.co.jp/en/exhibitions/edo-paintings/
Schedule: December 5 (Sat) to December 20 (Sun), 2020 *Open every day from 10am to 6pm. Free Admittance.
Exhibiting Artists: Ito Jakuchu, Maruyama Okyo, Ikeno Taiga, Uragami Gyokudo, Sakai Hoitsu and much more.
Venue: Kashima Arts (3-3-2 Kyobashi Chuo-ku, Tokyo)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (+81) (0)3-3276-0700

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