Japan Art and the Rising Sun

Japan Art and the Rising Sun

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Yashima Gakutei (1786-1868) provided a delightful cultural, philosophical, and religious angle to many of his art pieces throughout his life. He was a noted poet and artist – and was blessed with an independent artistic spirit. Sadly, unlike the legacy of his art, little is known about his later life.

He depicts a stunning crane above – with the rising sun strikingly behind.

The stunning art above is by Maekawa Senpan (1888-1960). He studied oil painting at the Kansai Art Academy in Western Japan. His instructors included the esteemed Asai Chū (1856-1907).

Maekawa said (concerning the art piece above): “I am standing at the tail of an excursion boat admiring the rising sun. It was all that I could remember on that trip. This scene is quite suitable for the New Year’s greetings from a young man who was traveling around the year-end.”

The final print above is by Ogata Gekkō (1859-1920). He was largely self-taught – you can feel this in his art. In saying this, he was influenced by Kikuchi Yosai and Katsushika Hokusai.

The Portland Art Museum says, “His print style is more reminiscent of paintings than traditional woodblocks and his designs required great skill of the carvers and printers who executed them… Along with his contemporary Watanabe Seitei, he was instrumental in introducing the sashiage printing technique that closely simulated the appearance of watercolor painting.”

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