Japanese Ukiyo-e Appreciation · Issue 1: Beauties and Courtesan Paintings (5)

Author: Kiyochika Torii
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Kiyochika Torii (1752-1815) was another master of "beauty painting" after Suzuki Harunobu's passing. He pioneered a unique style of beauty painting that emphasized physical fitness, known as "yakusha beauty painting." His depictions of beauty in Kabuki theater were characterized by pure lines, elegant colors, voluptuous forms, and an endless charm that invited careful appreciation. His artistic style became a model admired by his contemporaries in Ukiyo-e painting and was imitated by later generations for a long time. He shared the title of "pioneer of 'Kifū' woodblock printing" with Suzuki Harunobu. His beauty paintings not only conveyed health and vitality but also possessed a sense of three-dimensionality, with meticulous attention to every detail of the clothing textures. The World of Courtesans is his masterpiece. His portrayal of the eyes of his beauties was particularly captivating, as if they were opening and closing, and as if one could smell their fragrance and touch their skin. It possessed a kind of "superhuman charm." His mastery was described as "a lightning bolt leaping from eastern clouds, emerging as a sun" and "a giant atop Mount Fuji, reaching the pinnacle of perfection, creating miracles for Ukiyo-e." Moreover, his beauty paintings achieved a state where the spiritual and the physical were perfectly harmonized, seamlessly blending art with real life. Ancient Greek art reflected the beauty of real life, valuing physical fitness as the highest form of beauty. Physical beauty, in turn, reflected the highest beauty of humanity. Kiyochika's works shared similarities with ancient Greek art. The beautiful women he depicted, with their bare white legs, were as expressive of physical beauty as the fully nude beauties. The art world praised his ability to capture the essence of human emotions. Ukiyo-e refers to the genre of folk paintings from the Edo period in Japan. The term "ukiyo" originates from Buddhist language, meaning the myriad phenomena of the world, or the social realities one sees and hears. In the late 17th century, it was adopted by Japanese scholars for artistic purposes, giving rise to Ukiyo-e. The production of Ukiyo-e began with more expensive ink paintings before evolving into the widely recognized woodblock prints. Ukiyo-e includes folk paintings centered on beauties, portraits of Kabuki actors, as well as landscapes, flowers, birds, insects, grasses, and depictions of animals and plants. Among these, the beauty paintings and actor portraits, which are collectively known as the two major themes of Ukiyo-e, are celebrated for their unique charm and have attracted worldwide attention, being widely preserved in major museums around the world.