Complete Collection of Japanese Art 14: Jakuchu, Okyo, and the Fantasy of the Capital (Complete Collection of Japanese Art (20 Volumes))

Jakuchu, Okyo, Shohaku... Competing for the Beauty of the Unconventional in Kyoto

In 18th-century Kyoto, artists such as Ito Jakuchu, Maruyama Okyo, Soga Shohaku, and Nagasawa Rosetsu, all sought to break away from the conventions of the art world. Their work, which competed with each other to create unique and unusual expressions and presented them to the public, took on the appearance of a "Japanese Renaissance" and shaped new trends in the art world that followed. This coincidentally echoes the trend in contemporary Japanese art exhibitions over the past decade, where these "painters of the unconventional" have been at the forefront. This volume features a succession of artists who have shaped the so-called "Japanese art boom" of late. The highlight of this volume is undoubtedly the introduction to Ito Jakuchu, the artist who has led the Japanese art boom since the "Jakuchu Bicentennial Exhibition" held in Kyoto in 2000. This volume includes all 30 of Jakuchu's masterpieces, including "A Colorful Picture of Animals and Plants." While only a few of his works have been featured in previous volumes, this volume will feature 43 of his works, a larger-than-ever expansion. Furthermore, the volume will feature not only Jakuchu but also the works of other Kyoto artists, such as Shohaku, Okyo, and Rosetsu, who competed with each other for their unique ideas, making the most of recent exhibitions.

[Recommended by the Editor] This volume marks the first time that Ito Jakuchu, who has led the recent Japanese art boom, will be treated as a central figure in an art collection. With the publication of this volume, Jakuchu's artistic career will not end as a fad, but will instead gain an unshakable place in the history of Japanese art.