[exhibitions] Gyokudo Kawai

Yamatane Museum of Art (Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan)


English page:
http://www.yamatane-museum.jp/english/index.html

The exhibition page (in Japanese):
http://www.yamatane-museum.jp/exh/2013/140.html
Some pictures are in this page.

This museum has a lot of Japanese-style paintings, called Nihonga.
I visited the exhibition of Gyokudo Kawai, who was one of the famous Nihonga artist in 1800-1900s.

Nihonga differ from Ukiyoe.
It is used natural painting materials, so the impression of pictures is very soft, like watercolours.
However, the colours are very quiet and delicate.
Young people may say it is boring, but I think they are really beautiful.

Gyokudo liked to draw nature and daily lives of people.
I was really impressed the trees and the smoke.
His trees are real, but I feel a kindness. I thought he really love natures when I saw his paintings.
Also, the colors of smokes are sensitive but it just cannot be ignored.

Young Japanese tend to not like old style Japanese arts, but I want to tell them the great artist.