The long and rich heritage of printmaking in Japan is well suited to the Japanese temperament which prizes excellence, precise craftsmanship, respect for materials, artistic sensitivity and an eye for composition, balance and colour. Japanese prints of all periods have been collected ever since Japan opened to the West in the mid-19th Century and continue to resonate with collectors, artists and the viewing public today.
This heritage of printmaking experienced a renaissance in the twentieth century, particularly in the period between the two World Wars and into the modern era. Those prints on display in this exhibition span this historical period, from the beautiful works of Sekka published in 1909, the iconic beauties of such artists as Goyo and Kotondo, the classical landscape scenes of Hasui and Koitsu, and Koson’s superlative bird and flower images of the interwar years; to the adoption of the styles and techniques of the international artistic world in the post-war era exemplified by the work of one of the world’s leading mezzotint artists, Hamanishi, the idiosyncratic creations of Takeda and the frenzied city commuters of Kuroda.
Floor talk – David Forest
Saturday 11 February 3pm
