Momoyama – Edo Period Folding Screen Painting, Tokyo National Museum

From the ancient times to the modern era, many folding screen pictures were drawn on folding screen paintings such as Tamagawa paintings, Japanese paintings, Yamato paintings, ink paintings, and literary drawings. Also from the Azuchi Momoyama period to the Edo period, a screensaver was placed on the castle as much as possible, so that the screen folding painting increased its position as an art. As famous painters of that era, Yano Kano and others are cited. In the case of Japanese paintings, the seasons change often, in which case the season will change from right to left. In many cases, folding screen paintings are posted in a completely expanded state in art collections, but in the first place folding screen is produced on the assumption of viewing in a folded state, and by folding, a three-dimensional feeling is born in the picture, further front In addition to seeing from the viewpoint, changing the viewpoint to the left and right creates a change in the picture, devised so that the viewer can enjoy variously. Looking at the folding screen drawn in the genre paintings of the Azuchi-Momoyama period and others, you can see that it was installed in a state of being surrounded round or irregularly folded and freely handled according to the need at that time.

Screen folding screens during the day went to Western Europe and influenced. The Japanese folding screen painting overseas through the southern barbarian trade held in the early Edo period since the Warring States Period was called “Biombo” in Portuguese and Spanish.

In the folding screen and the sliding screen which create the space by partitioning the room, the screen and the sliding doors which have the function of directing the space, the picture is drawn or the book is drawn for the purpose such as symbolizing power and solemnity of the place did. Here, we will exhibit the folding screens of the Azuchi Momoyama period to the Edo period, and feel the effect of the space created by these large screen works.

In conjunction with the severe hot weather this time, we will exhibit the subjects that feel the autumn taste and works depicting motifs such as autumn greens.

Exhibited works
National Buddhist Sightseeing Screen Painted Wind Hiden Hidetoshi Muromachi-Azuchi Momoyama Period · 16 th century

The blowing wind suddenly became cold, and the comfortable autumn cool was also felt quite chilly.
The deep autumn scenery makes me feel the loneliness heading for a tough winter.
In such circumstances, the autumnal leaves that gradually color from the north and dye the mountains in red and gold are those that make our hearts radiant and bright.

On the autumn day, the figure of folks who enjoy foliage hunting is drawn on the screen of the Beijing map.

If the cathedral visible in the clouds at the upper right of the screen is the one at Jingoji, this is probably Kaohsiung, famous for Ryo Kita in Kyoto, autumn leaves …. If so, the flow of the Umino river will be Kiyotakigawa. Atago company, which praised the silver snow far away, told us the arrival of winter as early as possible.

This screens are based on the tradition of “Four Seasons Picture”, which plays the prayers for the Shinto faith and the seasons by setting the shrines and places as the setting. I think that one ship of “spring and summer”, probably the right ship, once existed.

In addition, this screen is “Four Seasons Picture” and carefully depicts the figure of the people at the time, and it is positioned as the oldest example of “Outdoor Pleasure Diagram”.

People drawn there have enjoyed peace, shining bright charms.

Looking at this screen, it seems that you can hear the babbling of the river, the laughter of people’s joy, the sound of the whistle of the bridge … …

Tokyo National Museum

The Tokyo National Museum collects and keeps cultural assets spanning the Toyo region widely, mainly in Japan as a comprehensive museum in Japan, for public viewing and conducting research related to this and educational dissemination project etc. , Aims to preserve and utilize cultural properties that are valuable national assets.

From April 1, 2007, the National Museum belonging to the National Museum of Japan and the National Institute for Cultural Properties to which Japan National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology belongs were integrated, and the “National Institute of Cultural Properties” was launched. We will promote the preservation and utilization of cultural properties, which are precious national assets under the new corporation, more efficiently and effectively.