Masterpieces Show

Our newest show at Bowers Museum, titled Japanese Masterpieces From The Price Collection, opens this Saturday, June 18th.  You have until July 17th to see these gorgeous paintings, so don't miss it!

Beauty with Puppy

Yamaguchi Soken (1759-1818)

Edo period, 18^th-19^th century

Hanging scroll, ink and colors on silk

This painting depicts a beautiful young woman fanning herself on the way out to enjoy the cool breeze of a Japanese summer night. Notice the wild geese and grass on her delicate fan.  The lightness of her summer kimono and her red undergarments add a seductive mood to the painting, and the little puppy pulling at her sleeve adds a playful touch as well.

Artist Spotlight: Jakuchu

From April 16 through June 12, 2011, The Etsuko and Joe Price Collection will exhibit the works of Ito Jakuchu at The Bowers Museum. This new exhibit will introduce you to one of the collection’s greatest assets – a man considered by many to be one of the greatest artists that ever lived, though for the most part, those outside of Japan have never heard his name.  His name is Ito Jakuchu.  Born in Japan in 1715, he was a vegetable seller and a Buddhist monk, all the while living a life devoted to illuminating the beauty of nature with the magical stroke of the artist’s brush, but he took his brush beyond just skill, making him different from all others.  His works are diverse and so coupled with the heart of nature that they seem ageless and can appeal to people from all walks of life – no scholarly explanations needed.  His paintings have left their mark, a stroke far beyond the capabilities of ordinary men.  

ITO JAKUCHU: A MAN WITH NO AGE

Coming to the Bowers Museum Part Deux

MASTERPIECES OF THE PRICE COLLECTIONTUESDAY, JUNE 14 - SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2011 The Bowers Museum welcomes Masterpieces of the Price Collection, showcasing some of the very best screen and scroll painters of Edo Period Japan. Like no others these master artists produced stunning images meant to be contemplated and enjoyed. During the Edo Period (18th century) the great Japanese urban centers of Tokyo and Kyoto experienced a cultural efflorescence that lead to significant developments in art and aesthetics. The great artists of the time were rigorously trained and disciplined in their skills, leading to an unrivaled level of talent, ability, and accomplished pride. The paintings of Nagasawa Rosetsu, Maruyama Okyo, Mori Sosen, Suzuki Kiitsu and others included in this exhibition exemplify the exuberance and expression of Edo Period art. Their captivating imagery includes lovely courtesans in flowing fabrics, ferocious tigers, and serene images of nature among other subjects. www.bowers.org Isoda Koryusai, Courtesan in Snow (detail), ink and colors on silk Copyright 2010 Masterpieces of the Price Collection courtesy of the Etsuko and Joe Price Collection

Coming to the Bowers Museum

ITO JAKUCHU: A MAN WITH NO AGESATURDAY, APRIL 16 - SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011 The outstanding Japanese screen and scroll paintings from the Etsuko and Joe Price Collection experienced immense success as a traveling exhibition in 2006-2007, attracting over one million viewers.  For the first time in the United States, a new exhibit is set to introduce you to one of the Price Collection’s greatest assets – a man considered by many to be one of the greatest artists that ever lived, yet known by very few outside of Japan. His name is Ito Jakuchu.  Born in Japan in 1715, he lived as a vegetable seller and a Buddhist monk, all the while living a life devoted to illuminating the beauty of nature with the magical stroke of the artist’s brush. But Jakuchu took his brush beyond just skill, making him different from all others. His works are diverse and so coupled with the heart of nature that they have an ageless quality and appeal to people from all walks of life – no scholarly explanations needed.  Jakuchu’s paintings have left their mark, a stroke far beyond the capabilities of ordinary men. www.bowers.org Ito Jakuchu, Rooster and Hen with Hydrangeas (detail), hanging scroll with colors on silk Copyright 2010 Itō Jakuchū: A Man with No Age courtesy of the Etsuko and Joe Price Collection