Chiryū Possibly 1855

print, ink

portrait

print

landscape

ukiyo-e

japan

figuration

ink

Editor: This is Utagawa Kunisada's "Chiryū", a woodblock print possibly from 1855, housed here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. There's something about the subdued color palette, the layering of patterns, and the ambiguous setting that gives it a slightly melancholic feel, even though the figures are actively engaged. What pulls you into this piece? Curator: Melancholy, yes, but perhaps a pensive stillness too? This ukiyo-e print whispers secrets of a bygone Edo. Look at the meticulously rendered robes, each circle within a circle echoing perhaps the cyclical nature of life itself. The artist blurs the lines between portrait and landscape here, doesn't he? That distant mountain range could be a metaphor for the future stretching out before these characters. Are they hopeful, fearful, or simply accepting? What do you feel? Editor: I hadn’t considered the mountain range as symbolic! I was focused on the present, the transaction occurring between the two figures. Curator: Precisely! Notice how the child offers a gift or message; it's a moment suspended in time. This interplay of human interaction set against an ageless landscape, ah, that's where Kunisada captures something profound. And think about the sheer skill needed to carve these intricate designs onto wood blocks. Do you think the limited colour palette adds to the mood, or perhaps indicates something about the social status depicted? Editor: The limited color palette definitely reinforces the sense of quiet introspection. It maybe suggests restraint or modesty – though those robes are still rather elaborate! I am beginning to think of all of Japanese prints in terms of stories now, rather than pure images. Curator: Absolutely, you’re spot on. Every line, every color choice serves the narrative, or rather, invites us to create our own narrative. This artwork truly shows we need to be aware of the power in art of narrative. Editor: So much more than meets the eye! It feels like a key that unlocks not only an era, but emotions. Thank you for this different lens on "Chiryū."

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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The Japanese have long lauded Ariwara Narihira, a high-ranking courtier who lived in the ninth century, as one of the country's six greatest poets. He is depicted here by Kunisada appropriately wearing the voluminous robes and black lacquered hat of a Heian period aristocrat. Narihira's colorful life and romantic adventures provided the inspiration for the Tales of Ise, a tenth-century poetic narrative, and Japanese artists have long pictured the handsome Narihira based on accounts in this text. According to tradition, Narihira was exiled from the capital when his mistress was chosen as an imperial consort. During his journey eastward, he composed many poems inspired by the landscape. At Chiryū, pictured above by Hiroshige, a mire of blossoming irises prompted Narihira to compose the following verse: I have a wife,familiar as a well-worn robe.And so this distant journeyingfills my heart with grief.