Aizuri-e = Wonderful: Kunisada
Aizuri-e means blue printed picture. Traditionally, the blue was derived from the dayflower. However, via the Dutch in Osaka, Prussian blue was imported from Europe as early as the 1790s. It did ...
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Curator's Corner
Mezzotints of Hamaguchi Yozo
I’ve tried lithography, woodcut, linoleum cut, and etching (on a plastic plate, yuck!), but have never succeeded as a printmaker. I would gladly do color lithography if I could have a press in m ...
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Curator's Corner
Yakimono: Sugiura Yasuyoshi
Yakimono in Japanese refers to a “fired thing.” A reverence for nature has historically been part of Japanese art since ancient times. Interestingly, the evocation of the respect for natur ...
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Curator's Corner
Today = Tradition: Michikawa Shōzō
I’m able to trace my mother’s side of the family back to the Middle Ages in Switzerland, hence (love using that word whenever I can), I’m totally appreciative of tradition. As you kn ...
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Curator's Corner
Kacho-e: Ohara Koson
Today’s post is about my epiphany of the week. In a previous post I introduced you to the early 1900s phenomenon in Japanese woodblock prints called sosaku hanga. That was the continuation of th ...
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Curator's Corner
Three Friends of Winter: Yabu Chōsui
I’m celebrating the beginning of winter by showing you an image that goes along with the "Looking and Learning" theme for December in our SchoolArts magazine: Stories. I don’t re ...
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Curator's Corner
Venerable Painting School: Kano School
In the 21st century, when millionaires get tax breaks and people are judged by the type of car they drive, it’s nice to be able to retreat and look at art with a simpler outlook on human existen ...
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Curator's Corner
Meiji Ukiyo-e: Ogata Gekko
I always like introducing you to artists who are not on the radar in mainstream art history. I know, there are so many, so where do I start? In one of my little “epiphany moments” of sorts ...
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Curator's Corner
Sōsaku Hanga: Keiko Minami
It never fails to amaze me how certain “facts” in the history of art are true no matter what culture we examine. Fact: up until the early 1900s, certain art forms, subject matter, and styl ...
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Curator's Corner
Japanese Art Nouveau Postcard
As long as I talked about Japanese art last week, I might as well stay in Japan after coming across this gem in our digital collection. Years ago someone talked about the earth being a global village. ...
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