Chofu Takehara Retrospective

Nerima Art Museum

Finished

Artists

Chofu Takehara

Chofu Takehara (1897-1947) was born in Asakusa, Tokyo. He studied Japanese-style painting (Nihonga) together with Ryuko Tsutaya, and was chosen for the Monten exhibition in 1918. He burst onto the art scene in 1929, taking part in the Central Art Exhibition along with other upcoming artists. Around that time, he gradually moved from painting landscapes in the style popular during the Taisho period towards painting flowers and birds in great detail, in the style of Gyoshu Hayami.
His paintings of dead birds are painted in such realistic detail that it is as if you can feel the lingering warmth of their bodies. The overflowing affection in his way of looking at living things can also be felt in the sketches he made at Ekoda Nerima's studio in the latter part of his life.
However, during World War II and the following years he was not able to produce more works and in the summer of 1947 he fell ill and died at the age of 50 in Toyama Prefecture, where he often went to sketch. Many of his works were lost to earthquakes or the ravages of war, but thankfully some works which were kept safe by his family have recently been rediscovered. Out of 80 works by this gifted artist, approximately 30 have been chosen for this exhibition.

Schedule

Mar 30 (Thu) 2006-Apr 16 (Sun) 2006