Press Release 2019/03/08

Masterworks of the Kano School from the Hara Rokuro Collection
Part I: March 9 (Saturday) – May 8 (Wednesday), 2019
Part II: May 10 (Friday) – June 30 (Sunday), 2019
Venue: Kankai Pavilion, Hara Museum ARC
The Kano school was the most influential school of pre-modern painting in Japan, holding sway for close to 400 years, from theMuromachi period to the Edo period. Drawing upon the considerable holdings of works by Kano school artists in the Hara
Rokuro Collection, this exhibition seeks to highlight their expressive charm by focusing on two major groups of hanging
scrolls: Paintings used for wallpaper and Fusuma (Japanese sliding door) at Nikko-in in Mi’idera temple and Set of twelve hanging
scrolls by painters of the Kano school.
About Paintings used for wallpaper and Fusuma (Japanese sliding door) at Nikko-in guest hall in Mi'idera temple
As indicated by this title, these images were originally partition paintings that adorned the Nikko-in guest hall of Mi’idera temple (nowcalled Onjo-ji temple) in Shiga Prefecture. In 1892, Rokuro Hara acquired the Nikko-in and had it moved to his property in Tokyo. The
painted partitions were later removed and converted into hanging scrolls or folding screens. The guest hall itself, renamed Gekko-den, wastransferred to Gokoku-ji temple (Bunkyo ward, Tokyo) where it now stands as an Important Cultural Property designated by the Japanesegovernment.
[1] Tiger in a bamboo grove, Kano Eitoku, hanging scroll, Momoyama
period (Part I)
In the picture, a mother tiger and her cub are resting in a wind-blown
bamboo grove. The mother’s tense expression and fluid posture imply areadiness to defend her sleeping cub. As a spirit animal from across theocean, the tiger represented wealth, high status and fecundity and was often
depicted on fusuma (sliding doors) as a symbol imbued with auspicious
meaning. Eitoku (1543-90), who is thought to be the artist, established thegorgeous, monumental style of Momoyama-period painting. Few of hispaintings have survived the flames of war, making this one all the more
precious.
[1][2] Birds and flowers, Kano school, four hanging scrolls, Momoyama-Edo period (Part I)[2] Birds and flowers, Kano school, four hanging scrolls, Momoyama-Edo period (Part I)
These paintings show a scene at the water's edge where geese play, wagtails rest on rocks and a pair of turtle doves sit on thebranch of a large pine tree. Water fowl symbolize prosperity and happiness, while turtle doves symbolize marital harmony andfecundity. The dove is also a symbol of peace. Bird and flower pictures often decorated rooms used to entertain close friends
and associates.

[3] Tiger in a bamboo grove, Kano Eitoku, four hanging scroll, Momoyama period (Part II)

What is the set of twelve hanging scrolls by painters of the Kano school?
This is a set of twelve paintings by ten artists who comprised the core of theKano school at the end of the Momoyama period and the early Edo period,
including a young Eitoku and his father Takanobu. Originally panel paintings
in the form of folding screens, they were converted into their current state as
hanging scrolls for easier viewing and preservation.
In these paintings, a number of figures from the Chinese pantheon of famous
people are featured, as indicated by their titles, Princess Yang Guifei playingchess, King Wu at the palace, Taigongwang (Fisherman) by a shore and LiBai, viewing waterfall, as well as the various schools of thought such as
Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. This choice of subject matter
underscores the official nature of the Kano school.
Left: [4] Princess Yang Guifei playing chess, Kano Sotoku, hanging scroll Edo period (Part I)
Right: [5] Taigongwang (Fisherman) by a shore, Kano Tan'yu hanging scroll Edo period (PartII)

Featured Works[Part I & II] Traditional Art: Landscape of Yodo River, Maruyama Okyo, Edo period / Inkstone case with the Eight Views ofOmi in makie, Edo period and others[Part I] Tiger in a bamboo grove, Kano Eitoku, Momoyama period / Birds and flowers, Kano school, Momoyama period /Princess Yang Guifei playing chess, Kano Sotoku , Momoyama-Edo period / Huangshi-gong and Zhang Lian under a pinetree, Kano Takanobu, Momoyama-Edo period / King Wu at the palace, Kano Sa'yemon, Momoyama-Edo period / Inside viewof Xianyang-gong Palace, Kano Jin'no-jo, Momoyama-Edo period / Professor Tongxuan under a pine tree, Kano Hayato,
Momoyama-Edo period[Part II] Tiger in a bamboo grove, Kano Eitoku, Momoyama period / Birds and flowers, Kano school, Momoyama period / Li
Bai, viewing waterfall, Kano Tan'yu, Edo period / Taigongwang (Fisherman) by a shore, Kano Tan'yu, Edo period
Contemporary Art: Aaron Fink / Toshimitsu Imai / Shiro Kuramata/ David Smith / Kohei Nawa/ Robert Mapplethorpe andothers

Kankai Pavilion
The Kankai Pavilion was built in 2008 as part of an expansion of theHara Museum's annex, Hara Museum ARC, that took place to markthe 20th anniversary of its founding in 1988. Its purpose is to provide
a showcase for the Hara Rokuro Collection of traditional East Asianart. At present, about 120 works comprise the collection, including a
number of works designated National Treasure or Important Cultural
Property. The design of the Kankai Pavilion (by Arata Isozaki who
also designed Hara Museum ARC) incorporates features of theJapanese shoin (drawing room). It thus offers the viewer a new spatial
experience that lies at the intersection between the traditional and themodern.

Installation view of Kankai Pavilion

Hara Museum ARC
Address: 2855-1 Kanai, Shibukawa-shi, Gunma 377-0027 Tel 0279-24-6585 Fax 0279-24-0449
https://www.haramuseum.or.jp (official website) https://twitter.com/HaraMuseumARC (Twitter)
Hours: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm (last entry at 4:00 pm)
Closed: Thursdays (except March 21) *Subject to temporary closure in the event of severe weather.
Admission: General 1,100 yen, Students 700 yen (high school and university) or 500 yen (elementary and junior high), Freefor Hara Museum members, 10% discount for a group of 20 or more, Combination ticket for Hara Museum ARC and Ikaho
Green Bokujo (except during Golden Week): General 1,800 yen; Students 1,500 yen (high school and university) or 1,400 yen(junior high), 800 yen (elementary), half price for those over 70, discount for groups of 20 or more
*Visitors to the Kankai Pavilion can view the on-going exhibition in the contemporary art galleries as well.
*Children must be accompanied by an adult.
*For residents of Gunma Prefecture: Free admission forelementary and junior high school children every Saturday
during the school term/200-yen-discount on admission for up tofive persons upon presentation of the Guchoki Passport.
*Visitors to the Kankai Pavilion can view the on-going
exhibition in the contemporary art galleries as well.
Directions: By train: Take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Takasaki,change to the Joestu Line, and disembark at Shibukawa. From
Shibukawa, ARC is 10 minutes away by taxi or 15 minutes bybus (take the Ikaho Onsen bus to ″Green Bokujo Mae″). By car:
8 kilometers (about 15 minutes) from the Kan-etsu Expressway
Shibukawa Ikaho Interchange (in the direction of Ikaho Onsen)

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