Meiji Japan, Kiyochika, & Ukiyo-e

The Overlooked Artistic Treasure in the Age of Western Influence

Christopher P. Horvath 12/16/2009

Even when the gods

Held sway in the ancient days,

I have never heard

That water gleamed with autumn red

As it does in Tatta’s stream

~ Ariwara no Narihira Ason (在原業平朝臣)

December 16, 2009 Horvath 1

In the Meiji Period of Japan, pressures and influences abounded from the West, which

seeped into society in the forms of policy, economy, industry, and most notably in artwork.

Despite the quick leap to western ways of thinking and artwork, there were still a few artists

who believed in the value of the traditional painting style that had emerged naturally from

Japan. Kobayashi Kiyochika was such an artist from this period who preserved the traditional

style while attempting to incorporate some of the western elements in a more complementary

way1. Specifically, Kiyochika’s woodcut, Cherry Trees in Blossom along Water’s Edge, as a

work in traditional Japanese style, stood out in a time of unquestioned progression as a

witness to the culture, attitude, values, and customs that were left behind. In this essay, this

painting will be touched upon in terms of its style, subject, and further relevance to its time

period.

In order to better understand the painting and its relevance, it is vital to first look at its

context for the influences and mentality of the period. The society and culture during the

Meiji period underwent critical changes as the country was forced to open its ports for trade

with other countries. Power shifted away from the Shogun, and the new government in an

attempt to modernize, invited advice from abroad in the areas of medicine, law, science, and

military2. As Western influences began to dominate, the Japanese majority failed to retain the

value of their own culture, especially in artwork. In terms of painting, the West saw and

depicted nature in a purely realistic and naturalistic manner, while the Japanese had

intrinsically been depicting a subjective naturalism, with an individual perspective not unlike

the forthcoming Impressionist movement in the west. In fact, it was the attitude towards

nature that defined the naturalism illustrated in each culture, consequentially resulting in an

1A short biography of Kyochika indicates his placement within the time period, Kobayashi Kiyochika: 1847-1915. Artelino. Web. 12 Dec. 2009. <http://www.artelino.com/articles/kiyochika_kobayashi.asp> 2Contains historical information of the time period, Fischer, Felice. Meiji Painting from the Fenollosa Collection. Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin 88, no. 375 (Autumn 1992), 2-3.

December 16, 2009 Horvath 2

additional decorative aspect in Japan3. Thus, the problem was that many Japanese artists

simply abandoned their own art instead of selectively choosing elements of Western

Romanticism that could be incorporated into their own works. The country was not

conscious of the effects of modernization, and did not re-evaluate the impact of these various

influences until 1882, when an American, Ernest Fenollosa, publicly expressed his opinion

that traditional Japanese artwork was superior to those of the contemporary West and ought

to be fostered4. It was at this point that artists were encouraged and supported to return to the

typical Japanese style.

There were three particular types of paintings that were dominant during this time

period: the traditional ukiyo-e paintings similar to works of Kuniyoshi and Hokusai from the

previous Edo Period, the western style paintings, and the paintings which incorporated

Western elements into the Japanese style. Figure 1 shows an example of a painting that is

western in style, and Figure 2 shows a traditional woodblock print by Kuniyoshi from the

previous Edo Period. It is easy to see that they differ greatly, not only in subject, medium, and

color, but in style and the impression that it imposes on the viewer. Kiyochika’s painting,

displayed in Figure 3, when juxtaposed with the other two, clearly shows the traditional style

of the Edo period. While some of his works had incorporated many elements of Western

artwork through shadows, lighting, perspective, and atmosphere, these ingredients appear to

be absent in this particular work, suggesting that the work is reminiscent of old, traditional

Japan5.

3A description of the changes from a Japanese perspective, written after the Meiji period, Yamada, Chisaburo. Japanese Modern Art. Monumenta Nipponica 3, no. 2 (July 1940), p. 569. 4Fischer, p. 6. 5Information describing Kiyochika’s combination of styles and approaches in his artwork, Javid, Christine, ed. Color Woodcut International: Japan, Britain, and America in the Early Twentieth Century. (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2006), pp. 15-16.

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Fig. 1 – Portrait of Meiji Emperor6 Fig. 2 - Famous Places in the Eastern Capital: Omori7

Fig. 3. Cherry Trees in Blossom along Water’s Edge8

6 Takahashi, Yuichi. Portrait of the Meiji Emperor. 1877. Oil on Canvas. Artstor. University of California, San Diego, Web. 11 Dec. 2009. 7 Kuniyoshi, Utagawa. Famous Places in the Eastern Capital: Omori: Gathering Seaweed. Early 1830s. The Cleveland Museum of Art . ARTstor. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. 8 Kiyochika, Kobayashi. Cherry Trees in Blossom along Water’s Edge. 1879. Color Woodcut. Syracuse University Art Collections.

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Within the painting, Figure 3, the scenery is alive with the portrayal of springtime, as

implied by the blossoming cherry trees that dominate the upper left of the painting. Through

the depiction of cherry trees, which only bloom for a few days, the painting especially

emphasizes the fleetingness of time while it encourages the enjoyment of the short-lived

moments that each day brings. The other subjects within the painting further this idea; on the

right-hand-side of the painting, there are what appear to be boatloads of people on the river

enjoying the pleasant weather afforded by the spring day. While the people are not the main

subject, as indicated by their sizes and positioning away from the viewer, the greatest detail

of people is found in the boat in the foreground. Here, there are figures adjacent to each

other, attracting attention by their traditional garments of varying color, which retreats the

painting even further into the past, far from the modern day in which even the fashion was

changing. Each boat varies slightly in shape, color, and decoration, but it can be inferred that

they are similar in serving the function of relaxation, as there is only slight movement

indicated within the painting. As the eye follows the river into the background, the boats

shrink appropriately in accordance with the perspective. In fact, this transition from the

foreground to the background indicates an element of perspective, which may or may not

have resulted from Western influence.

The work itself is uniquely divided into three separate sections, indicating land, water,

and air, which incidentally are three important elements that make up the Earth. As a part of

the dominant section, the hill and cherry trees rise up on the left, moving a little backward,

but generally staying within the foreground. At the base of the trees are what appear to be

umbrellas, which may imply the enjoyment of the flowers by people as they wander through

the trees. Also depicted on the left side is a small building partly concealed by the hill, which

in a practical sense may store boats or fishing supplies while it visually serves to further

December 16, 2009 Horvath 5

divide the foreground from the background. This is contrasted by the right side which moves

steadily and further into the background by way of the river. The river, however, only takes

up the bottom right side of the painting until it is met at the middle with a bridge and the sky.

In effect, the top right side becomes controlled by the clear blue sky as it leads to a seal

found at the top alongside an inscription. This placement was appropriate as it does not

obstruct any of the main subjects, and thus serves its functional use without taking away from

the work itself. There is also some other inscription found at the bottom right in the form of a

small seal in the grass, and also some vertical characters just outside the border of the

painting at the left. Therefore, just as in many other Asian paintings, the placement of the

calligraphy enhances the painting without taking away from the subjects. As a whole

however, the painting is mainly a landscape with a focus is on the season of spring through

the subjects depicted therein.

The work itself is actually a print from a wood-block, but also gives the appearance of

water colors. While it was unlikely that actual water colors were used, it was most probably

intended to have the appearance of lightness, that which is closely associated with

springtime. The designer, Kiyochika, effectively used the elements of color and line to create

a uniform composition depicting the theme of spring. Color is probably the most pronounced

element, as it is the first thing that moves the eye from subject to subject within the painting.

He used lavish greens to shape and depict the vegetation on the hillside, and within each

section of green it seems to vary in lightness. The black lines add another dimension to the

hillside, making it more pronounced with life and texture. At the top of the hill are the cherry

trees, created by colors of brown, black, rose, and white. The trunk lightly outlined by dark

brown is further shaped by the brown within it which varies in intensity throughout. This

effectively gives a certain texture and shape which illustrate the typical character of trees. As

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the trees travel further upwards, the blossoms of color intersperse with the trunks and the

branches, intersecting with their contours. Thus, certain parts are hidden behind areas of

color, suggesting the continuity of line beneath it. With the pink and rose colors at the center

of the branches surrounded by white, a dreamy quality is created within the blossoms.

Moving to the right of the hill, the viewer finds an array of woodblocks that separate

the bank from the river. At the shoreline, greater detail is given to the stakes at the front of the

painting, and in sharing the same color with the dirt they seem to blend together, with only

their outlines to distinguish them. As they vary slightly in shade from stake to stake, they

serve as a gradual transition from the bank to the river. The river is colored with two shades

of blue, showing the reflection of light on the light waves or currents of the water. On the

river, the boats lie without alignment in any exacting direction, but are varied in their

presentation to give a sense of relaxation without a particular destination. Not given a major

focus, at the far back of the river lies a bridge that is illustrated through thin lines and light

color in place of vibrant colors and thick lines that would draw attention.

In itself, the painting successfully depicts its theme of spring through its subjects,

color, line, and shape, while in the greater scheme of its time period it stands as a testament

to the strength of traditional Japanese art. During the Meiji period, the world was quick to try

to change Japan, before the value of its culture was truly realized and appreciated. Therefore,

in today’s world, modernization should not be a quick or forceful process, but should be

taken slowly to preserve values and culture. In this way, if each party approaches the

situation with optimism and good intentions, more can be gained by all those involved.

December 16, 2009 Horvath 7

References Fischer, Felice. Meiji Painting from the Fenollosa Collection. Philadelphia Museum of Art

Bulletin 88, no. 375 (Autumn 1992): 1-24. Javid, Christine, ed. Color Woodcut International: Japan, Britain, and America in the Early

Twentieth Century. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 2006. Print. Kiyochika, Kobayashi. Cherry Trees in Blossom along Water’s Edge. 1879. Color Woodcut.

Syracuse University Art Collections. Kobayashi Kiyochika: 1847-1915. Artelino. Web. 12 Dec. 2009. 5:30 PM.

<http://www.artelino.com/articles/kiyochika_kobayashi.asp> Kuniyoshi, Utagawa. Courtier Ariwara no Narihira and His Attendants Admire Autumn

Leaves on the Tatsua River. 1842. One Hundred Poets Compared. (Cover Page Image) <http://www.kuniyoshiproject.com/The%20Hundred%20Poets%20II.htm>

Kuniyoshi, Utagawa. Famous Places in the Eastern Capital: Omori: Gathering Seaweed. Early

1830s. The Cleveland Museum of Art . ARTstor. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. Takahashi, Yuichi. Portrait of the Meiji Emperor. 1877. Oil on Canvas. Artstor. University of

California, San Diego, Web. 11 Dec. 2009. Yamada, Chisaburo. Japanese Modern Art. Monumenta Nipponica 3, no. 2 (July 1940): 567-

578.