Darkness and Light -Kiyochika, Yasuji and Ryuson

In 1876, Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847-1915) depicted an unprecedented view of Tokyo by incorporating Western techniques such as oil painting, lithography, and photography into ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Kiyochika’s “Kōsenga” (light-ray paintings), which beautifully captured changes in light and shadow, such as gas lamps shining in the dark at night and the sky at sunset with brilliant red, became very popular. Ukiyo-e artists such as Inoue Yasuji (1864-89) and Ogura Ryūson (date of birth and death unknown) followed after Kiyochika. Although the popularity of ray painting lasted only five years, it developed new possibilities for woodblock prints, and it should be regarded as the forerunner of the genre of “shin-hanga” (new prints) in the Taisho and Showa eras that have been the focus of much attention in recent years. This exhibition introduces 200 works by Kobayashi Kiyochika and Inoue Yasuji, as well as Ogura Ryūson, whose works have rarely been introduced to the public. Please enjoy the colors of darkness and light which are only possible through the use of woodblock prints. All exhibits will be changed between the first and second exhibition terms.

Highlight of the exhibition

1　200 works that tell the whole story of the “Kōsenga” (light-ray paintings) of Kiyochika, Yasuji and Ryūson will be exhibited.※The exhibits will be changed between the first term and the second term.

2　A rare opportunity to focus on Inoue Yasuji, an ukiyo-e artist who died very young, and Ogura Ryūson, a mysterious artist.

3　Comparative display of rare types of works, such as “suri-chigai” (different print editions) which used the same wood blocks but changed colors substantially, and “nisu-biki” (varnishing), which coats the print with varnish.

Introduction of the Artists

Kobayashi Kiyochika（1847～1915）

Kobayashi Kiyochika is one of the representative ukiyo-e artists in the Meiji era. He was known to have learned photography and oil painting, and his unique style of painting expressively captured light and shadow is called “Kōsen-ga” (light-ray paintings), which became extremely popular. As a side note, Kiyochika quit producing Kōsen-ga after 1881, and developed a different style of picture, such as old-style landscapes, historical pictures and war pictures.

Inoue Yasuji（1864～89）

Inoue Yasuji was a pupil of Kobayashi Kiyochika. He produced large-sized Kōsen-ga pictures that faithfully followed the painting style of Kiyochika. Around 1884, he changed his art name to Inoue Tankei and started producing large-sized triptych landscape pictures, but he died young at the age of 26.

Ogura Ryūson（Years of birth and death unknown）

Although he produced Kōsenga pictures around 1880 to 1881 following Kiyochika, only 9 of his works have been found. He is an unidentified and mysterious artist whose background is completely unknown. Ryūson’s representative work “View of Yushima” is characteristic for its mysterious atmosphere of two men quietly looking at the moon.

Admission

Adult	1000 yen
University and High school students	700 yen
Junior High School Students and below	Free

Calendar