From Hara Museum ARC, Gunma
For the first time since the completion of its two-year restoration, the Important Cultural Property Female Passing through a Reed Portiere is on public display at the Kankai Pavilion.
Female passing through a reed portiere (Important Cultural Property), two-fold screen, Edo period, 17th century
This work, a precursor to the many paintings of beautiful women that appeared during the Edo period, is a valuable example from a period of transition to a new representation of feminine beauty embodied in a single standing figure that rose in popularity during the Kanbun era (1661-72). This work was classified as an Important Cultural Property in June 27, 1959. The exhibition Beautiful Visages– Featuring the Important Cultural Property Female Passing through a Reed Portiere
looks at the female visage and how it is expressed in paintings. Please mark your calendars and see the show before it ends on October 26 (Wed.)!
Another work on display is a sketch done by Maruyama Okyo for his monumental handscroll, Landscape of Yodo River (color on silk, 1765). The finished scroll, which extends approximately 16 meters in length, depicts the scenery on both banks of the Yodo River. It is thought to have been commissioned by a person of high status to whom it was presented for approval prior to the start of the final painting.
Maruyama Okyo, Sketch of Yodo River (detail), hand-scroll, Edo period, 1763
With sumi ink, the artist renders the landscape along both banks of the river from Kyoto/Fushimi to Osaka/Temmabashi.
The section on display shows six boats passing Mount Tennozan and Mount Otokoyama, on which is drawn a pagoda of Iwashimizu Hachimangu Temple. In the sketch, the boats and water currents are simplified, but the names of the various places, mountains, bridges and temples are written down, making the sketch a valuable guide to viewing the final painting, which will be on display in the Shapes of the Seasons exhibition which follows (from October 28 (Fri.)). Please come and see both!
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Hara Museum ARC
Kankai Pavilion (traditional East Asian art)
◆Beautiful Visages– Featuring the Important Cultural Property Female passing through a reed portiere
September 17 (Sat.) – October 26 (Wed.), 2011
◆Shapes of the Seasons
Part I: October 28 (Fri.) – November 30 (Wed.), 2011
Part II: December 2 (Fri.), 2011 – January 4 (Wed.), 2012
Hours: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm *last entry 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Thursdays (except November 3 and December 29), January 1
*Subject to temporary closure during severe weather.
Admission: General (over 12) 1,000 yen; children (over 3) 500 yen; 10% discount for a group of 20 or more.
*Children must be accompanied by an adult
**Combination ticket for Hara Museum ARC and Ikaho Green Bokujo ranch: General 1,800 yen; Children 900 yen
Getting There: By train: Take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Takasaki, change to the Joestu Line, and disembark at Shibukawa. From Shibukawa, ARC is 10 minutes away by taxi or 15 minutes by bus (take the Ikaho Onsen bus to “Green Bokujo Mae”). By car: 8 kilometers (about 15 minutes) from the Kan-etsu Expressway Shibukawa Ikaho Interchange (in the direction of Ikaho Onsen).
＜website＞ http://www.haramuseum.or.jp
＜mobile site＞ http://mobile.haramuseum.or.jp
＜Twitter＞ http://twitter.com/#!/HaraMuseumARC