Otsu-e: Another History of Edo Painting

Finished

Otsu-e were inexpensive souvenirs that were mass-produced in the area around the Otsu post town on the Tokaido highway from the early Edo period onwards. Characterized by their direct and amusing appeal, otsu-e spread throughout Japan, but there are not many still in existence today since they were regarded as cheap ephemera of everyday life.

As Japan modernized, otsu-e lost their function as special souvenirs of the ancient highway, but became a source of fascination for many cultural figures. Connoisseurs with an eye for beauty such as the literati painter Tessai Tomioka, the Western-style painter Chu Asai, and Mingei Movement founder Soetsu Yanagi recognized the value of old otsu-e in particular and collected such paintings. This trend continued after the Pacific War, with otsu-e being collected by people such as the Western-style painter Gentaro Koito and the textile dyer Keisuke Serizawa. This exhibition is a chance to view around 150 otsu-e masterpieces that are known to have belonged to the collections of such famous connoisseurs from the early modern period.

*Tickets can be purchased from Lawson Ticket.
*Some of the items on display will be changed during the course of the exhibition.

Schedule

Sep 19 (Sat) 2020-Nov 8 (Sun) 2020

Opening Hours Information

Hours	10:00-18:00 Fridays closing at 20:00
Closed	Monday Open on a public holiday Monday but closed on the following day. Closed during the New Year holidays and in between exhibitions.
Notice	Open on September 21 and November 2. Online Reservations required (Please visit the official website for details).

Fee

Adults ¥1200, University and High School Students ¥1000, Junior High School Students and under free.

Website

http://www.ejrcf.or.jp/gallery/english/archive_202008_otsue.html