DOCSLIB.ORG

Facing Modern Times the Revival of Japanese Lacquer Art 1890-1950

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Facing Modern Times the Revival of Japanese Lacquer Art 1890-1950 Facing modern times : the revival of Japanese Lacquer Art 1890-1950 Dees, J. Citation Dees, J. (2007, March 15). Facing modern times : the revival of Japanese Lacquer Art 1890-1950. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/11458 Version: Not Applicable (or Unknown) Licence agreement concerning inclusion of doctoral thesis in the License: Institutional Repository of the University of Leiden Downloaded from: https://hdl.handle.net/1887/11458 Note: To cite this publication please use the final published version (if applicable). file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt Facing Modern Times The Revival of Japanese Lacquer Art 1890-1950 ISBN: 978-90-8559-277-8 Optima Grafische Communicatie, Rotterdam Copyright © Jan Dees, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. Facing Modern Times The Revival of Japanese Lacquer Art 1890-1950 Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden, op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof.mr. P.F.van der Heijden, volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties te verdedigen op donderdag 15 maart 2007 klokke 13.45 uur door Jan Dees geboren te Oostburg in 1946 Promotiecommissie Promotor Prof. dr. W. R. van Gulik Referent Dr. M. Kopplin (Museum für Lackkunst, Münster) Overige leden Prof. dr. C. J. M. Zijlmans Prof. dr. C. Jörg Prof. dr. T. M. Eliëns This publication was financially supported by the Heinz Kaempfer Fund. Voor René Bewerker van bokalen Op deze bokaal van zuiver zilver – die gemaakt is voor Herakleites’ woning, waar in hoge mate zin voor schoonheid heerst – zie: sierlijke bloemen, en beken, en wilde tijm, en in het midden plaatste ik een mooie jonge man, naakt, en sensueel; in het water heeft hij nog zijn ene been. -Ik smeekte u, herinnering, mij zo goed je kunt te helpen om het gezicht file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt (1 of 143)27-3-2007 12:25:14 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt van de jongen die ik liefhad weer te geven als het was. Groot is de moeilijkheid gebleken, aangezien al bijna vijftien jaren vergaan zijn sinds de dag waarop hij, als soldaat, viel in de verloren slag bij Magnesia. Alexandrië 1921 K.P. Kaváfis (1863-1933) (vertaling: Prof. dr. G.H. Blanken, 1977) Contents Preface XV Introduction 1 Chapter I Japanese lacquer art 1850-1950 1. Introduction 5 2. The late Edo market (1800-1868) 5 3. The crisis (1868-1873) 7 4. Survival by means of export: Art Industry (1873-1890) 10 5. Revival (1890-1920) 13 6. The struggle for recognition (1920-1930) 16 7. Tradition continued (1920-1940) 19 8. Modernity established (1930-1950) 20 9. Parting of ways (after 1950) 22 * Pioneers of Japanese lacquer art 1890-1950 Chapter II Shirayama Shosai (1853-1923) 1. Introduction 29 2. Biography 29 2.1. Childhood, training and the Kiritsu years (1853-1890) 29 2.2. An independent course (1890-1905) 31 2.3. Influence and fame (1905-1923) 33 3. Work 34 3.1. Collections 34 3.2. Objects 34 3.3. Grounds 34 3.4. Subjects 35 3.5. Decoration techniques 36 3.6. Signatures 37 3.7. Chronology of styles 38 4. Conclusion 38 Chapter III Akatsuka Jitoku (1871-1936) 1. Introduction 43 2. Biography 43 2.1. Childhood, training and early success (1871-1905) 43 2.2. Commissions from the court (1905-1920) 44 2.3. Champion for recognition (1920-1936) 45 3. Work 47 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt (2 of 143)27-3-2007 12:25:14 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt 3.1. Collections 47 3.2. The ‘Moonlight style’ (1900-1905) 47 3.3. The ‘Sunlight style’ (1905-1920) 48 3.4. ‘New ways’ (1920-1936) 49 3.5. Signatures 50 4. Conclusion 50 Chapter IV Rokkaku Shisui (1867-1950) 1. Introduction 55 2. Biography 55 2.1. Childhood, training and early career (1867-1898) 55 2.2. To America and the lacquer artist as businessman (1898-1920) 57 2.3. The roaring twenties (1920-1935) 59 2.4. Wartime (1935-1950) 60 3. Work 61 3.1. Collections 61 3.2. Works before 1920 61 3.3. Works after 1920 62 3.3.1. Copies 62 3.3.2. The linear style 62 3.3.3. Metal plaques 63 3.3.4. The rough style 64 3.3.5. Remaining works 64 3.3.6. Appraisal 65 4. Conclusion 65 Chapter V Yamazaki Kakutaro (1899-1984) 1. Introduction 71 2. Biography 71 2.1. Childhood and education (1899-1925) 71 2.2. Mukei and the journey to Europe (1925-1950) 72 2.3. Official career (1950-1984) 74 3. Work 76 3.1. Collections 76 3.2. Objects 76 3.3. Subjects 76 3.4. Techniques 77 3.4.1 Sprinkled designs 77 3.4.2 Plain colours 78 3.4.3 Cashew 80 3.4.4 Textile patterns 80 3.4.5 Rough textures 81 3.4.6. Mottled pictures 81 3.5 Stylistic features 82 4. Conclusion 82 * Manufacturers of traditional utensils 1890-1950Chapter VI Lacquered pipe cases 1. Introduction 85 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt (3 of 143)27-3-2007 12:25:14 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt 2. Early examples 85 3. Kiseruzutsu versus inro 86 4. Schools and individual artists 87 5. Utensils, fashion accessories or collector’s items? 89 Chapter VII Pipe cases by Ikeda Taishin 1. Introduction 93 2. Taishin and his pupils 93 3. The album of charcoal rubbings 94 3.1. Akazuri 94 3.2. The album 94 3.3. The contents 95 3.4. Signatures 95 3.5. The bodies 95 3.6. Subjects 95 3.7. Techniques 96 3. Discussion 96 Chapter VIII Ganshosai Shunsui 1. Introduction 99 2. Work 99 2.1. Collections 99 2.2. Objects 100 2.3. Subjects 100 2.3.1. Warriors 100 2.3.2. Court ladies 100 2.3.3. Related subjects 101 2.3.4. Unrelated subjects 102 2.4. Style and technique 102 2.5. Signatures 103 3. Dating 104 4. Conclusion 106 Chapter IX Uzawa Shogetsu 1. Introduction 109 2. Biography 109 3. Works 112 3.1. Collections 112 3.2. Objects 113 3.3. Grounds 113 3.4. Subjects 113 3.5. Decoration techniques 115 3.6. Signatures 115 3.7. The Spring-Autumn writing box 116 4. Conclusion 117 * Chapter X Storage boxes for lacquer objects 1. Introduction 121 2. Terminology 122 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt (4 of 143)27-3-2007 12:25:14 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt 3. Inscriptions 122 3.1. Title of the art object 122 3.2. Signatures and seals 123 3.3. Co-workers 124 3.4. Techniques 124 3.5. Sources of inspiration 124 3.6. Year of manufacture 125 3.7. Name of the customer 125 3.8. Name of the benefactor/beneficiary 126 3.9. Name of the collector 126 3.10. Exhibition data 126 3.11. Auction and collection numbers 127 3.12. Authentications 127 3.13. Other inscriptions 128 4. Unwrapping the work of art 128 Conclusion 131 Samenvatting (in Dutch) 134 Appendices 139 List of Illustrations 148 Bibliography 156 Acknowledgements 165 Index 169 Curriculum vitae (in Dutch) 173 Illustrations 175 Preface During my visit to Japan in 1983, the MOA Museum of Art in Atami staged the major exhibition ‘Japanese Lacquer Art of Recent Times’. It was an overwhelming experience, which at once convinced me that the prevailing opinion in the West of the insignificance of Japanese lacquer art after the mid-19th century was false. When one or two years later a theme had to be chosen for the 50th anniversary exhibition of the Society for Japanese Arts, I was happy to learn that several other members of the Exhibition Committee were also in favour of ‘the art of the Meiji period’ (1868-1912). Being in charge of the lacquer section, wonderful opportunities arose to visit private and museum collections throughout Western Europe, among them the great collections of Edward Wrangham in Northern England and the Baur Collection in Geneva. These visits deepened my interest in lacquer art and formed the beginning of an invaluable network of worldwide contacts with knowledgeable collectors, curators, artists, dealers and auctioneers. Particularly fruitful was the acquaintance with the newly appointed keeper of the Baur Collection, Frank Dunand, since this museum houses the most comprehensive collection of early 20th century lacquer outside Japan. Our cooperation resulted in my first publication, on Uzawa Shogetsu, in 1986. Although the Society’s 1987 anniversary exhibition in the Municipal Museum of The Hague was entitled ‘Meiji, Japanese art in transition’, I already smuggled in quite a few objects from the Taisho period (1912-1926). Having achieved something in the field and able to show a catalogue as a trophy, I felt file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt (5 of 143)27-3-2007 12:25:14 file:///O|/Keur/proefschriften/2007/03/Dees_J/Jan+Dees+BW+compleet-1.txt confident to contact museums and private collectors on the East Coast of the USA, resulting in visits to famous collections in New York, Boston and Baltimore.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Myths & Legends of Japan
    Myths & Legends Of Japan By F. Hadland Davis Myths & Legends of Japan CHAPTER I: THE PERIOD OF THE GODS In the Beginning We are told that in the very beginning "Heaven and Earth were not yet separated, and the In and Yo not yet divided." This reminds us of other cosmogony stories. The In and Yo, corresponding to the Chinese Yang and Yin, were the male and female principles. It was more convenient for the old Japanese writers to imagine the coming into being of creation in terms not very remote from their own manner of birth. In Polynesian mythology we find pretty much the same conception, where Rangi and Papa represented Heaven and Earth, and further parallels may be found in Egyptian and other cosmogony stories. In nearly all we find the male and female principles taking a prominent, and after all very rational, place. We are told in theNihongi that these male and female principles "formed a chaotic mass like an egg which was of obscurely defined limits and contained germs." Eventually this egg was quickened into life, and the purer and clearer part was drawn out and formed Heaven, while the heavier element settled down and became Earth, which was "compared to the floating of a fish sporting on the surface of the water." A mysterious form resembling a reed-shoot suddenly appeared between Heaven and Earth, and as suddenly became transformed into a God called Kuni-toko- tachi, ("Land-eternal-stand-of-august-thing"). We may pass over the other divine births until we come to the important deities known as Izanagi and Izanami ("Male-who-invites" and "Female-who-invites").
    [Show full text]
  • The Tree Peonies
    TI-IE NA.TIONA.L ~GA.rz J INE THE AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, INC. 1600 Bladensburg Road, Northeast Washington 2, D. C. OFFICERS Presidellt: Dr. John L. Creech, Glenn Dale, :Ma ryland First Vice-Prcsidellt: Dr. Ezra ]. K raus, Corvalli s, Oregon Secolld Vice-Presiden t: I1{rs. Robert \"Toods Bli ss, vVashington, D. C. Secretary: Dr. Francis de Vos, Washington, D. C. Treasllrer: Miss Olive E. Vveatherell, Olean, New York Editor: Mr. B. Y. Morrison, Pass Christian, Mississipp i J1[ allagillg Editor: M r. James R. Harlow, Takoma Park, Maryland Editorial S tall : Miss May M. Blaine, Washington, D. C. Mr. Bernard T. Bridgers, Washington, D. C. Art Editor: Mr. Charl es C. Dickson, Kensington, Maryland DIRECTORS TerlJl s E xpirillg 1955 TerlJls E.,pir'ing 1956 Mrs. 'Mortim er J. Fox. Mount K isco, New Mr. Stuart Armstrong, Silver Spring, IVIa ry- Yo rk land lv[r. Frederic P. Lee, Bethesda, Maryland Dr. Fred O. Coe, Bethesda, Maryland Dr. Brian O. Mulligan, Seattl e, vVashington Mrs. Walter Douglas, Chauncey, New York Dr. F reeman A. vVeiss, Washington, D. C. Mrs. ]. Norman Henry, Gladwy ne, Penn- Dr. Donald vVyman, Jamaica P lain , Massa- sy lvania chusetts M rs. Arthur Hoyt Scott, Media, Pennsy l­ vallla HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS M r. James B. Craig Mr. George W. Peyton American Forestry Association American Peony Society 919 Seventee nth Street, Northwest Box No.1 \>\Tash in gton 6, D. C. Rapid an, V irgi ni a 'M r. Harry \ >\T . Dengler Mrs. Hermann G. P lace Holl y Society of America The Garden Club of America Maryland Extension Service 45 East 62nd Street Co ll ege Park, Maryland New York 21, New York Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ruined Archive the Ruined Archive
    Books edited by Iain Chambers, Giulia Grechi, Mark Nash the ruined archive the ruined archive edited by Iain Chambers, Giulia Grechi, Mark Nash Books 11 The Ruined Archive Books The Ruined Archive edited by Iain Chambers, Giulia Grechi and Mark Nash Books 4 — the ruined archive mela books 11 – rf02 cultural memory, migrating modernities and museum practices Published by Politecnico di Milano © June 2014, The Authors This work is provided on line as open access document under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. The work is protected by copyright and/or other applicable law. Any use of the work other than as authorized under this license or copyright law is prohibited. For additional information http:// creativecommons.org/. isbn 978-88-95194-38-7 This Book ensued from the Research Project MeLa - European Museums in an age of migrations funded within the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (SSH- 2010-5.2.2) under Grant Agreement n° 266757. Project Officer: Mr. Zoltán Krasznai mela consortium Politecnico di Milano (Coordinator), Italy – Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, Denmark – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche ITIA, Italy – University of Glasgow, United Kingdom – Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Spain – Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, France – The Royal College of Art, United Kingdom – Newcastle University, United Kingdom – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’ Orientale,” Italy. www.mela-project.eu english editing Mark Weir graphic design Zetalab — Milano layout Mariangela Orabona legal notice The views expressed here are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.
    [Show full text]
  • Unpacking Japan's 21 Century “National Conversation”
    Unpacking Japan's 21st Century “National Conversation”: Images of the Future beyond the Iron Cage of the “Catch Up” Model A Thesis Presented to THE QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Creative Industries Faculty For the award of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by David Lindsay Wright (BA, Japanese Studies, University of Waikato, New Zealand; MBusComm, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia) September, 2010 KEY WORDS Futures Studies, Japan, Casual Layered Analysis, Futures Triangle Analysis, poststructuralism, image of the future, communication. ABSTRACT How does the image of the future operate upon history, and upon national and individual identities? To what extent are possible futures colonized by the image? What are the un-said futurecratic discourses that underlie the image of the future? Such questions inspired the examination of Japan’s futures images in this thesis. The theoretical point of departure for this examination is Polak’s (1973) seminal research into the theory of the ‘image of the future’ and seven contemporary Japanese texts which offer various alternative images for Japan’s futures, selected as representative of a ‘national conversation’ about the futures of that nation. These seven images of the future are: 1. Report of the Prime Minister’s Commission on Japan’s Goals in the 21st Century—The Frontier Within: Individual Empowerment and Better Governance in the New Millennium, compiled by a committee headed by Japan’s preeminent Jungian psychologist Kawai Hayao (1928-2007); 2. Slow Is Beautiful—a publication by Tsuji Shinichi, in which he re-images Japan as a culture represented by the metaphor of the sloth, concerned with slow and quality-oriented livingry as a preferred image of the future to Japan’s current post-bubble cult of speed and economic efficiency; 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Shareholders Decide Assurance Company Is to De
    WHERE TO GO TO-NIGHT WEATHER FORECAST 1 Loyal—tieiwba. Capitol—Wild Orange*. For 36 hour| endinr 5 Saturday: Lomin Ion—Eternal City, Viet or1» and vicinity—Light to mod­ flayliotwe—The Iron Trail. erate northerly winds, continued tine and Columbia—Tom Mix. t— cold at night. PRICE FIVE CENTS VOL. (54 NO. l!9 VICTORIA, B.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1924 Mennonites Come Irish Soldiers Tramwaymen and Busmen in Back to Prairies PREMIER KING GIVES SHAREHOLDERS DECIDE Killed Britishers j From Mexico In Queenstown London to Strike To-night Mart h 21 — Manitoba HINT OF A REDUCTION I Winnipeg, ASSURANCE COMPANY j Mennonites who made a trek to QueeiiHUiwn. Ireland. March I^oudon, March 21—Seventeen thousand tramway men and , Mejj/b a year ago have found con- j dit/ona unsatisfactory and are re- 21—A «Ictaçhimmt of British 20.000 busmen have determined to strike at midnight to-night. I turning to Western Canada. A num- troops landing here on leave “A strike to-night is a certainty. Nearly 40,000 men will be j b«-r of them passed through here IN SALES TAX SOON IS TO DE LIQUIDATED yesterday en mute tv Harris. Sask.. to-day was fired on from inVolved/* said Secretary Bevin of the Transport and General where they will again take up farm­ machine gun set in i*. motor Worker^’ Vnion this afternoon. ing under Canadian regulation* and others will follow shortly. Tells Delegation He Does Not Understand Why People Northwestern Life, With Head Office in Winnipeg, Has ear, which, it is said, was op­ erated by four soldiers of the Interpreted Statement in Speech From Throne as Business of About $7,600,000; Auditors Declare Im­ Irisjfr Free State Army.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ruined Archive the Ruined Archive
    Books edited by Iain Chambers, Giulia Grechi, Mark Nash the ruined archive the ruined archive edited by Iain Chambers, Giulia Grechi, Mark Nash Books 11 The Ruined Archive Books The Ruined Archive edited by Iain Chambers, Giulia Grechi and Mark Nash Books 4 — the ruined archive the ruined archive — 5 mela books 11 – rf02 cultural memory, migrating modernities and museum practices table of contents Published by Politecnico di Milano © June 2014, The Authors This work is provided on line as open access document under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. The work is protected by copyright and/or other applicable law. Any use of the work other than as authorized under this license or copyright law is prohibited. For additional information http:// creativecommons.org/. 07 Introduction isbn 978-88-95194-38-7 09 Voices in the Ruins Iain Chambers, Giulia Grechi, Mark Nash 27 CURATING… This Book ensued from the Research Project MeLa - European Museums in an age of migrations funded within the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (SSH- 2010-5.2.2) under Grant Agreement n° 266757. 29 Territory as Theme and Strategy. Geopoetics and the 8th Mercosul Biennial Project Officer: Mr. Zoltán Krasznai Fernanda Albuquerque 45 In Focus: Afghanistan Elizabeth Stanton 55 What Dust will Rise? Toward a Postcolonial Sensitive Museum Giulia Grechi mela consortium 81 Illegitimate Writings. The Public Sphere and History in the Ethnographic Museum Politecnico di Milano (Coordinator), Italy – Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, Denmark – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche ITIA, Italy – University of Glasgow, United María Iñigo Clavo Kingdom – Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Spain – Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, France – The Royal College of Art, United Kingdom – Newcastle University, 97 Relocating the Remains of the Archive United Kingdom – Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’ Orientale,” Italy.
    [Show full text]