Japanese Art
Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The striking image above was created by Maekawa Senpan (1888–1960), an artist whose creative spirit helped define the sōsaku hanga (“creative print”) movement. He first studied oil painting at the Kansai Art Academy under the guidance of the celebrated painter Asai Chū, whose influence shaped a generation of modern Japanese artists. Later, inspired by Minami Kunzō, Maekawa devoted himself to the art of creative printmaking, embracing a style that prized personal expression and artistic individuality.
Reflecting on the work, Maekawa wrote: “I am standing at the tail of an excursion boat admiring the rising sun. It was all that I could remember on that trip. This scene is quite suitable for the New Year’s greetings from a young man who was traveling around the year-end.”
The print captures that fleeting memory with remarkable vitality. A solitary figure stands boldly at the stern of a boat, arms raised toward a radiant crimson sun. The sea stretches gently into the distance, while the warm reds and deep blacks create a composition that feels both celebratory and dreamlike. It is less a literal record of a journey than a vivid recollection of wonder, youth, and the promise of a new year.
Another distinguished master of Japanese art was Suzuki Kason (1860–1919). His artistic education was unusually broad, encompassing the vibrant world of ukiyo-e, the refined traditions of the Maruyama–Shijō school, and the elegant classical style of the Tosa school. This rich training enabled him to develop a distinctive voice within Nihonga, the modern movement that sought to breathe fresh life into traditional Japanese painting.
The British Museum observes: “Successful painter in the Nihonga style, a movement which tried to inject new vigor into traditional painting methods. He was involved in the organization of several exhibitions and was a member of many painting societies. He himself frequently exhibited and won prizes both in Japan and abroad, including at the Japan-British Exhibition in London in 1910.”
Kason’s achievements reveal an artist who stood confidently between tradition and innovation, preserving the beauty of Japan’s artistic heritage while helping to guide it into the modern age.
The enchanting print above is the work of Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), one of the most celebrated artists in the history of Japan. What makes this delightful composition so captivating is the way it contains several worlds at once, each unfolding within the same harmonious scene.
A laborer attends to his work with quiet diligence. Nearby, children play with carefree delight, their youthful energy animating the landscape. Not far away, mothers converse animatedly, sharing stories and laughter in a moment of everyday companionship. Hokusai weaves these separate threads of life into a single tapestry, transforming an ordinary scene into a rich meditation on community, work, family, and the rhythms of daily existence.
The result is a print filled with warmth and humanity — a glimpse of life not as a grand spectacle, but as a collection of small, beautiful moments that together create the enduring poetry of the world.
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