JAPANESE


　May 1st - June 26th, 2009
　　　　　 　　　　　　　( Will be closed on May 7, 11,18 ,25,27～June 1st, 8,15and 20)

　 [ 1st term] May 1st ～26ｔｈ、2009
　[ 2nd term] June 2nd～26ｔｈ、2009

TOP PAGE
Go to the top of this page
●　Admissions：　Adults￥700
　　University and senior high school students ￥500
　　Junior high school and elementary school students￥200
●　Calendar （Red : Holidays）

Copyright© Ota Memorial Museum of Art. All rights reserved.

Yoshitoshi  -"Thirty-two Aspects of Women" and
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　"One Hundred Views of the Moon"-

Tsukioka (Taiso) Yoshitoshi (1839-92) was an ukiyo-e artist from the late Edo period to the Meiji period. During this period of tumultuous transition, when Japan was by the West to open up to the world, Yoshitoshi became known as “the last ukiyo-e master”, producing many masterpieces marked by his sharp sense of individuality.    

Yoshitoshi acquired his skills from Utagawa Kuniyoshi, who had been known for musha-e (warrior prints) and giga (comedy pictures). Later Yoshitoshi also became active in many genres such as musha-e, rekishi-ga (historical paintings) and bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women). At his time, Yoshitoshi gained such great popularity that his art is considered to be the most representative of ukiyo-e art in the Meiji era. Signified by dynamic compositions, Yoshitoshi’s art was especially known for the expression of cruelty—also known as chimidoro-e or “bloodshed paintings” — and for his accurate depiction of the seductive female beauty. The charms of these timeless masterpieces have remained to captivate people even today.   

In this exhibition we will present Yoshitoshi’s two most famous and popular series “Thirty-two Aspects of Women” and “One Hundred Views of the Moon”. These masterpieces were created towards the end of his career, and are believed to be fabulous representatives of his skills. We believe that the powerful artworks from Yoshitoshi’s latter days will reach the widest spectrum of audiences.      

■“Thirty-two Aspects of Women”　

～Pictures of beautiful women in a world of overflowing senses～

This series of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful females) consists of 32 paintings in total, each depicting a female in a different profession or social ranking. The paintings aim to express the females’ inner world of emotions with a sensual touch, such as the feelings of joy, coldness or suffering. The rich sensual charms displayed in those gestures and expressions still incite admiration in every modern viewer. This series was executed in 1888.  

■ “One Hundred Views of the Moon”
　　～Fantastical Historical Painting～
　Taking stories and fables of the moon as its focal point, this series of 100 collected historical scenes spans the surprisingly wide reach of a genre including the soldiers and rare beauties, specters, goblins, and humorous giga caricatures of the Heian (794-1185) and Warring States (1467-1573) periods. From works that grab the viewer through compelling composition to, on the other hand, works that capture the sense of pervasive tranquility which hangs in the air of a still moonlit night, we hope all patrons will be captivated by and able to enjoy these works of art.
This series was executed over the span 1885～1891.

MAY
S  M  T  W  T  F  S
             　01 02
03 04 05 06 07 08 09
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31

JUNE
S  M  T  W  T  F  S
　 01 02 03 04 05 06
07 08 09 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30               

●"Moon above the sea at Daimotsu Bay
(Daimotsu kaijo no tsuki )-Benkei"

●"Moonlight patrol(gekka no sekko
－Saito Toshimitsu"

●"Mount.Yoshino midnight-moon
－Iga no Tsubone"

●"How hopeless it is , it would be better for
me to seink beneath the waves , perhaps then
I could see my man from Moon Capital -Ariko"

●"Bon festival moon (Bon no tsuki)"

●"Moon of.Kintoki's mountain
(Kintokiyama no tsuki)

●　"Looking in pain : the appearance of
a prostitute of the Kansei era (1789-1801)"

●"Looking warm : the appearance of an urban widow of the Kansei era
(1789-1801)"

●"Looking smoky : the appearance of
a housewife of the Kyowa era (1801-1804)"

● "Looking as if she is enjoying a stroll
: the appearance of a lady of the Meiji era (1867-1912)"

●"Looking delighted : the appearance of a
present-day geisha of the Meiji era(1867-1912)"

●"Looking dark : the appearance
of a wife during the Meiji era (1867-1912)"

●"Looking as if she is waking up
: the appearance of a maiden of the
Koka era (1844-1848)

●"Jade Rabbit -Sun Wukong
　(Gyokuto -Ｓｏｎｇｏku)"

He is Saito Toshimitsu who had executed the attack of the Honnoji temple under the instruction of Akechi Mitsuhide.
Ariko- naiji was in despair at the love which can't be achieved because of the difference of ranks and tried to commit suicide by diving into the lake.
Songo-ku (Sun Wukong) is a main character of the tale named “Journey to the West”
Kintaro cheered the fight of sumo wrestling between a monkey and a rabbit.
People in the Edo period enjoyed the Bon dancing under a full moon
A courtesan had her boyfriend's name tattooed on her arm
Town's woman is reading a book at a kotatsu. A cat also looked warm on the top of kotatsu.
A woman is choking with smoke occurred by burning a mosquito coil of incense
A girl who is half asleep is looking at a morning glory while brushing teeth
A woman is lighting a Japanese lamp at her bedside
A woman who is wearing the Western costume is about to go for a stroll
The spirits of the dead of the Heike attacked the ship of Yoshitsune and Benkei.
Geisha is excited when she caught a flying firefly

Translation supervised by Princeton University Language Project

The valorous Iganotsubone fearlessly converses with a long-nosed goblin.