Japan Art and Buddhism in the Snow
Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The themes in this article concern Buddhism, landscapes, nature, and snow through the prism of art. In the first art piece above by Kawase Hasui (1883-1957), he focuses on the last snow of early spring. Therefore, the delightful Buddhist setting – and two people with umbrellas – fuses faith, nature, and tranquility.
The Virginia Art Museum says, “In 1918, he began creating Shin-hanga (new prints) and designed more than 600 prints during the following 40 years.”
Tomikichiro Tokuriki (1902-1999) was born in Kyoto. He completed the art piece above concerning the Byodoin Buddhist complex in his beloved Kyoto.
The Byodoin Buddhist temple website says, “Cultural heritage and people’s belief inherited from the past to the present and passed on to the future.”
The art piece above is by the contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi. Accordingly, being a contemporary artist, the words above by the Byodoin Buddhist complex highlight the meaning concerning the continuity of Buddhist art themes in modern Japan.
Utsumi often focuses on Buddhism and Shintoism in her art related to Japan. Hence, the holy Buddhist monks are connected with the past – and now. Therefore, despite the horrendous conditions of winter in the mountains, the Buddhist monks stay focused on the right path.
The final art piece is by Tsuchiya Kōitsu (1870-1949).
The Koller Collection of Asian Art says, “…Kōitsu started designing more landscapes for woodblock prints (fukei-ga) in 1931. His return to printmaking is typically traced to the apocryphal meeting with esteemed print publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885–1962) at a memorial exhibition commemorating Kiyochika.”
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/japanese-buddhist-holy-men-in-the-deep-winter-sawako-utsumi.html – Japanese Buddhist holy men in the deep winter by Sawako Utsumi
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/art-of-buddhism-and-shintoism-and-two-paths-in-the-snow-sawako-utsumi.html Art of Buddhism and Shintoism and Two Paths in the Snow by Sawako Utsumi
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/exiled-buddhist-cleric-nichiren-in-the-snow-sawako-utsumi.html – Exiled Buddhist Cleric Nichiren in the Snow by Sawako Utsumi
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/buddhist-cleric-nichiren-in-exile-and-homage-to-yoshitoshi-sawako-utsumi.html Buddhist Cleric Nichiren in Exile and Homage to Yoshitoshi by Sawako Utsumi
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/buddhist-cleric-nichiren-and-bleak-winter-in-exile-sawako-utsumi.html Buddhist Cleric Nichiren and Bleak Winter in Exile by Sawako Utsumi
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