Landscape with Tainan Seibyo 1933

Fujishima Takeji made this painting of the Landscape with Tainan Seibyo with oil. The whole image has this golden, honeyed light; not quite dreamlike, but definitely caught in a haze of memory. The painting is a masterclass in using a very limited palette of greens, browns and reds to create depth and atmosphere. The brushstrokes are loose and visible, creating a tangible sense of the paint's materiality. I'm drawn to the way Takeji handles the foliage, especially around the building; it's not overly detailed, but conveys the feeling of lush, overgrown greenery. The way the reddish paint of the building shines through the dark canopy is superb. Takeji’s sensitivity to light is reminiscent of Bonnard or Vuillard, but he brings a distinct approach to it with his own cultural heritage. Ultimately, the painting offers a space to contemplate the ways in which personal experience, cultural heritage, and artistic vision intertwine.