print, ink
water colours
asian-art
landscape
ukiyo-e
japan
ink
Dimensions 7 1/4 x 18 1/4 in. (18.4 x 46.4 cm) (image, sheet)
Tanaka Shutei created this woodblock print, “Night Fair at Sakai Beach,” sometime in the mid-19th century. It offers a glimpse into a lively scene. What stands out is the deliberate arrangement of space: calligraphy to the left, and the bustling market to the right. The artist uses the text not just as information, but as a visual counterpoint to the figurative scene. Consider how Shutei employs a semiotic approach, using the visual components and cultural codes to create meaning. The calligraphy, while literally a text, functions visually as a series of abstract marks, balancing the representational imagery of the fair. The composition challenges the traditional, fixed meanings of art by integrating text and image, inviting us to reconsider the relationship between seeing and reading. By destabilizing the established, Shutei pushes the boundaries of what art can communicate.
Comments
Dating back to the thirteen century, the night fair at Sakai Beach in Osaka is held in late summer. It follows a ritual in which local fishermen offer their catch of the day to Sumiyoshi, the god of the sea, at a nearby shrine. After praying for a bountiful season and safety at sea, the fishermen auction off the fish used as offerings to raise money for the shrine. The fair attracts as many spectators as buyers, who enjoy watching the spirited bidding. The design of this print well conveys the liveliness of the festivity that marks the end of summer and thus serves as an appropriate image to accompany poems that evoke the arrival of autumn.
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