Exhibition "Paintings of the Elusive World" Golden Age of Japanese Graphics" Automatic translate

“Pictures of the elusive world” - in Japanese “ukiyo-e” - this is the name of the graphics of the Edo era (XVII - first half of the XIX centuries ) with scenes from the life of citizens, portraits of geishas, ​​kabuki theater actors and images of birds and flowers. Borrowed from the philosophy of Zen Buddhism, the concept emphasizes the ephemeral nature of disappearing moments and the ability to enjoy the momentary in the rapidly flowing river of time. Color engraving had no analogues in the countries of the Far East. In Japan, it was extremely popular: it was used to decorate the interiors of houses, used it as posters for theatrical performances, advertising tea houses and "fun" neighborhoods.

The heyday of ukiyo-e is closely connected with the rise of Edo - modern Tokyo. By the beginning of the 18th century, the city had a million inhabitants and was larger than all European capitals. The Edo era is a period of prosperity not only in the visual arts of Japan, but also in literature, poetry, and theater. The glory of recognized masterpieces of woodcuts, created by such masters as Katsushika Hokusai, Ando Hiroshige, Utagawa Kunisada, Kitagawa Utamaro, quickly went beyond Japan.

Cherry blossoms, snow-capped peaks of the sacred Mount Fuji, portraits of beautiful geishas and kabuki actors, battles of emperors and samurai - all this has become an inspiration for artists in the capital of Japan.

The exhibition features works from such famous series as "36 Views of Fuji" by Katsushiki Hokusai, "53 Tokaido Stations" by Ando Hiroshige, "Album of Birds and Flowers" by Kono Bairei and "Comic Views of Famous Places in Edo" by Utagawa Hirokage. In total, the exposition consists of 63 woodcuts and detailed information stands describing the features of each genre.

The exhibition will run until June 5th.