Roman Landscape 1908

Fujishima Takeji’s ‘Roman Landscape’ is made of soft brushstrokes and muted tones, it feels like a memory of a Roman street scene. I imagine he built it up, stroke by stroke, letting the scene emerge intuitively. It’s got me thinking about what it must have been like for Fujishima to stand there, in that moment, brush in hand, capturing the hustle and bustle of daily life! Those figures in the foreground are so interesting. I'm particularly drawn to the one on the left, the way their dress is suggested with just a few confident strokes – there's such economy of means! The way he applies paint makes the scene almost vibrate with life. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, hear the chatter of voices, and smell the aroma of coffee. I see echoes of Impressionism here, but Fujishima brings his own sensibility, a uniquely Japanese eye interpreting a European scene. I think this piece speaks to how artists are always in conversation across time and place, each inspiring the other to see the world anew.