40th Anniversary Exhibition of Masterpieces, Part 2

Founder Mokichi Okada (1882-1955) began collecting art in earnest during the chaotic period following World War II. Okada devoted himself to collecting art, concerned that many works of art were being lost to other countries. He also had a unique philosophy that excellent works of art could cultivate the spirit of a devastated society, and envisioned the construction of an art museum in the hope of realizing a nation of advanced artistic culture. The MOA Museum of Art's collection is primarily composed of Oriental art, including Japanese, Chinese, and other art pieces collected by Okada. The collection spans a wide range of genres, including paintings, calligraphy, sculptures, and crafts, and includes works that are essential to discussing the art and culture of each era. The second part of this exhibition commemorating the museum's 40th anniversary will feature works from the collection, including "Flowers and Birds," "Large Celadon Vase (Jiaotan Official Kiln)," Important Cultural Property "Bathhouse Girl," Important Cultural Property "Snow, Moon, and Flowers" by Katsukawa Shunsho, Important Cultural Property "Amida Triad," and Important Cultural Property "Triangular-Rimmed Mirror with Divine Beasts." These works will also be on display, including Chinese paintings, Chinese ceramics, genre paintings, ukiyo-e prints, Buddhist paintings, and bronze artifacts.

Important Cultural Property "Bathhouse Woman" Edo Period

As the early modern period began, the customs and lifestyles of the common people became a major subject of painting. Artists who were not only trained in traditional techniques, such as those of the Kano school, but also of town painters gradually took over the field. The style of depiction also shifted from depictions of crowds at festivals to small groups and then to single figures. This painting depicts six women working at bathhouses that were popular in Kyoto and Edo during the Genna and Kan'ei eras (1615-44). Initially, the women's job was to wash customers' hair and cleanse their bodies, but they gradually began to enhance their appearance and entertain them while they drank and ate. The exquisite beauty of the designs on their costumes is a hallmark of genre paintings of this era, and it is interesting to note the seal-style character "沐" (mu) on the kimono of the second woman from the left in the painting. The lively expressions on their faces are realistic, and the composition of the five women, with a courtesan in the center striding with her hands in her pockets, is also stunning. The depiction of these bathhouse women walking together through the town is full of vitality, unlike the elegant idealization seen in later Kanbun period paintings of beautiful women. Formerly owned by Danke.

Large celadon vase, Jiaodanguan kiln, China, Southern Song Dynasty

In China, kilns directly operated by the imperial court that produced wares for the imperial court were called official kilns, and during the Northern Song dynasty there were the Ru official kilns and the Northern Song official kilns. In 1127, the second year of the Jingkang era, the Jin Dynasty fled south, and in 1138, the eighth year of the Shaoxing era, the capital was moved to Lin'an (Hangzhou). This marked the Southern Song era, when the Xiunaisi official kilns were first established, followed by the Jiaotan kilns (also known as the Xinguan kilns). The Xinguan kilns were established at the foot of Mount Wugui on the southern outskirts of Hangzhou, and produced celadon that was just as excellent as the Xiunaisi official kilns. Because the Jiaotan altar (the altar where the emperor made offerings to heaven) was located nearby, the kilns were called the Jiaotan Xiaguan kilns or the Jiaotan official kilns. Furthermore, because the base is ceramic, irregular crazing runs vertically and horizontally across the entire surface of the glaze, with even finer crazing found within it, creating a so-called double crazing pattern, which adds variety to the glaze surface and further enhances its color. The vase shown here is a rare masterpiece from the Jiaotan kiln, with an extremely high base and a rich, firm appearance, giving it a refined appearance. The glaze color resembles jasper, and it is surprisingly light when you hold it in your hand. It feels as if you are seeing the excellent craftsmanship of the Jiaotan kiln condensed into one piece.

"Flower and Bird Painting" by Attributed to Sen, China, Southern Song to Yuan Dynasty

The Chinese tradition of flower and bird painting is said to date back to the Tang dynasty, but it wasn't until the Song period that it reached its full potential as a form of small landscape painting. The style of the Painting Academy established by Emperor Huizong at the end of the Northern Song dynasty was characterized by stable composition, thorough sketching, and the use of white space, and a tranquil aesthetic was valued. However, as the Southern Song dynasty progressed, movement was emphasized in the depiction of birds and animals, and ink lines became more important. In this painting, the depiction of the wild bee preying on a bee beautifully captures the momentary tension, while the plum tree and bamboo leaves are depicted with sharp, precise lines. The prominent use of washes in the color palette suggests that this work dates from the late Southern Song period or later.

Katsukawa Shunsho "Snow, Moon, and Flowers" Edo period (18th century)

Katsukawa Shunsho (1726-92) was a mid-Edo period ukiyo-e artist and the founder of the Katsukawa school. He left behind a large number of excellent prints and woodblock prints, particularly in his portrayals of actors, which broke with the typical Torii school style and initiated realistic portraits. His hand-painted skills are also acclaimed as first-rate among ukiyo-e artists. This painting depicts a triptych of snow, moon, and flowers as a mitate-e (mitate-e) depicting three talented women of the Heian period, reimagined to depict the customs of ordinary women of the day. The left panel depicts Sei Shonagon's "Viewing the snow on Mount Koro through a blind," portraying a woman resembling a samurai lady. The central panel depicts a samurai-looking woman as Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji, leaning against a desk and taking up her brush at Ishiyama-dera Temple. The right-hand panel depicts Ono no Komachi as a geisha, who wrote the poem, "The colors of the flowers have changed, I gazed upon them in vain at my own body." The female figure in the central panel has a heavy, carved and painted costume, while the left and right panels are beautifully drawn with flowing lines, beautifully capturing the beauty of the Edo-period hairstyles and costumes.

Important Cultural Property "Amida Triad" Korea Goryeo Dynasty

The painting depicts Amida Buddha, accompanied by Kannon and Seishi, standing on a lotus flower. The walking posture of the Amida Trinity and the Eight Great Bodhisattvas appears to represent the arrival of the Buddha in Goryeo Buddhist paintings. The central statue of Amida Buddha twists the middle finger and thumb of his left hand in front of his stomach and holds his right hand outstretched, while Kannon holds a water bottle in his left hand and a willow branch in his right, and Seishi holds a sutra in both hands. The bodies and facial expressions of all figures are painted in flesh tones. The robes of Amida Buddha and those of the two Bodhisattvas are beautifully rendered with meticulous techniques, bringing out the thin texture of the material. The use of intermediate colors is also distinctive, with the central statue painted blue, Seishi purple, and Kannon pale blue with a reddish core. Heirloom.

Katsushika Hokusai "Two Beauties" Edo period (19th century)

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is known for his masterpieces, such as "Hokusai Manga" and "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," but he also left behind many excellent hand-painted works. In 1778, at the age of 19 (by traditional Japanese age reckoning), Hokusai became a disciple of the master hand-painted artist Katsukawa Shunsho, studying ukiyo-e while also studying the Kano, Rinpa, and Sumiyoshi schools of painting. Among Hokusai's beauties, this painting is a representative example of the artist's early career, judging by the figure's slender face and gentle expression, its flowing, streamlined lines, and subdued colors. The composition, featuring a standing courtesan and a seated geisha, is exquisite, and Hokusai's first-rate skill is evident in the facial expression and costume patterns. Judging from the signature and the rectangular red seal "Kamege Hebi-soku" (Kamege Hebi-soku) this work is believed to have been created by Hokusai in his 7s, sometime between the end of the Kansei era (1789-1801) and the beginning of the Bunka era.

Box with floral arabesque, seven-day pattern, swastika, and floral cross design, mother-of-pearl inlay, Momoyama period, 16th century

This rectangular box with a gap between its lid and legs is black lacquered. The four corners of the lid and body are lowered by about two millimeters and painted with yellow lacquer, creating a sophisticated design known as a karato-men (Karato-men) finish. The lid features a floral arabesque design in the center, surrounded by a triple border. Between them is a band of alternating patterns: a seven-day pattern, a swastika (manji) pattern, and a floral cross pattern. The design is created using mother-of-pearl inlay (raden) made from cut pieces of shell, and the pearlescent light reflects beautifully against the black lacquer. The craftsmanship is superb, and the lacquer is meticulously applied, making it unmistakably a Japanese product. However, the floral arabesque design, with several flowers arranged symmetrically in the center of the lid, is a style seen in mother-of-pearl inlay from the Joseon Dynasty, while the curvilinear depiction of the leaves and vines also incorporates a touch of Nanban influence. The floral cross pattern is likely influenced by Christianity. The footed vessel shape suggests a Chinese influence. This work displays a mixture of the above-mentioned different craft styles, which is likely due to the fact that it was produced during the Momoyama period, a time when the influence of continental culture, Nanban, and Christianity was strong.

"Weaving Screen" Edo period (17th century)

A distinctive feature of genre paintings in the early modern period was the emergence of freer landscape depictions that transcended the traditional styles of landscape paintings and artisan paintings. This work also saw a growing interest in human figures, particularly large female figures. This painting, known as a representative example of this style, depicts women working in the specific occupation of weaving, with the figures depicted large and the focus on the women. Golden clouds that cover the entire canvas surround the women, skillfully creating a natural space in front and behind them. Furthermore, the clothing and autumn grasses are rendered with delicate gold lines, demonstrating meticulous attention to detail down to the edge of the canvas. The authentic depiction of flowers and plants suggests this painting was created by an artist who studied the style of the Iwasa school, which was active around the Genna and Kan'ei periods (1615-44).