#TaishoRomanticism
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晩春 (Late Spring) by 竹久夢二 Yumeji Takehisa (Japanese) - Pen, pencil, and watercolor on paper / 1926 - 夢二郷土美術館 Yumeji Art Museum (Okayama, Japan) #womeninart #art #JapaneseArt #夢二郷土美術館 #YumejiArtMuseum #竹久夢二 #YumejiTakehisa #掛軸 #美人画 #JapaneseArtist #TaishoRomanticism #大正ロマン #JapaneseRomanticism #1920s
Taishō Roman (大正ロマン or 大正浪漫) was the cultural and intellectual movement of Japanese Romanticism during the Taishō era (1912-1926), influenced by European Romanticism and the belle époque. Takehisa Yumeji (竹久夢二 ), the painter who epitomizes Taisho Romanticism, was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1884. He received no formal art training but, entirely self-taught, developed his own painting style. The 美人画 (bijinga, portraits of beautiful women) by Takehisa portrayed women in such a distinctive manner that it became known as "Yumeji beauty style" (夢二式美人). His works show a sympathy toward women in general, who at the time were socially and politically oppressed. Yumeji developed this poetic and minimalist yet romantic style after meeting his first wife Tamaki, but it has also been attributed to the strong relationships he had with his mother and older sister. His gentle interpretations of feminine qualities like a fragile s-shaped curve or large, moist melancholy eyes (modeled after Tamaki's), led to a lasting influence on the art world's depiction of Japanese women that continues to this day. His works also show the influence of Art Nouveau, which was popular in the late 1890s, as well as the "Edo style" and "exotic style" of art that influenced Japanese cultural figures during the late Meiji and early Taisho eras. In "Late Spring," A young beautiful Japanese woman is kneeling on the floor, dressed in a kimono of navy blue and gold latticework pattern with a red and pink obi (sash). Her melancholic expression is accentuated by her large dark eyes. Her hair is styled in an updo, typical of Japanese hairstyles in the era. Next to her is a blue book and a tabby cat looking away attentively while sitting up on a pale pink cushion. The artist's delicate brushstrokes and harmonious soft color blending create a sense of tranquility that has been interrupted by something off canvas drawing the attention of the woman and the cat.
March 15, 2025 at 5:46 PM