Though Japan’s interactions with the rest of the world were famously restricted during the Edo period (17th–19th century) due to their isolationist policies (“sakoku”), foreign cultures continued to be accepted in areas such as Nagasaki. This was especially the case in 1720, when shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune relaxed a ban on books that had been instituted to protect the country against the influx of Christianity. Following this, the importation of books from the West rapidly increased and rangaku, the study of European scholarship and arts, gradually began to flourish. It was amid that trend that Akita ranga—a school of Western-style paintings produced by warriors from the Akita feudal domain—was born.

Akita ranga, which brought a new style of realism to Edo-period paintings, has its beginnings some 250 years ago in 1773, when Satake Shozan, daimyo of Akita domain, and his retainer Odano Naotake met the naturalist Hiraga Gennai. This encounter led to Naotake’s subsequent referral in the following year to illustrate Sugita Genpaku’s Kaitai shinsho (lit. “A New Text on Anatomy”). To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the start of Akita ranga, this exhibition brings together masterpieces from the Akita Senshu Museum of Art, which is renowned for its superb collection of works in this genre. We invite you to take this opportunity to step the world of Akita-ranga painting, a style that, while fleeting, blended the aesthetics of the East and West in a novel way.

Photography is permitted for all exhibits in this room!

Exhibition Highlights

Kaitai shinsho (A New Text on Anatomy)

Translated by Sugita Genpaku; illustrated by Odano Naotake
Dated 1774
Akita Senshu Museum of Art

Lion

Odano Naotake
18^th century
Akita Senshu Museum of Art

Hawk

Odano Naotake; inscription by Tōshū
18^th century
Private collection (on loan to the Akita Senshu Museum of Art)

Akita Prefecture—Designated Cultural Property
Children and their Beloved Dog

Odano Naotake
18^th century
Akita Senshu Museum of Art

Toad and Daoist Immortal

Satake Shozan
18^th century
Akita Senshu Museum of Art

Don’t miss out on these works!

The following paintings, which have been designated as Important Cultural Properties, will only be on display for a limited time!
*All other works will be displayed for the entirety of the exhibition period.

Shinobazu Pond by Odano Naotake
Display period: 29 April – 21 May 2023

Emperor Taizong with Birds and Flowers by Odano Naotake
Display period: 23 May – 11 June 2023

Events

Please note that the events listed below will be held in Japanese only.

No pre-registration required, first-come-first-served

Kyuhaku in 3-D: An Introduction to Akita-ranga Paintings

Kaitai shinsho (A New Text on Anatomy) was the first full translation of a Western medical text in Japan. The artist who illustrated it was Odano Naotake, a chief retainer of the Akita domain. 250 years ago, he was sent to Edo (present-day Tokyo), where he learnt Western painting and illustration techniques and used them to bring a new realism to Edo-period paintings. Join us on the opening day of this Feature Exhibition for a lecture by Ms. Matsuo Yuka, curator from the Akita Senshu Museum of Art, as she introduces the highlights of this exhibition.

Date:

29 April 2023 (Sat), 13:30–14:30

Venue:

Museum Hall, Kyushu National Museum

Capacity:

270 pax

Speaker:

Matsuo Yuka (Curator, Akita Senshu Museum of Art)

Admission:

Free

No pre-registration required

Museum Talks: A Glimpse into the World of Akita-ranga Paintings

Date:

Session 1—16 May 2023 (Tues), 15:00–15:30

Session 2—30 May 2023 (Tues), 15:00–15:30

Venue:

Cultural Exchange Exhibition Hall, Kyushu National Museum

Speakers:

Session 1—Hata Yasunori (Researcher, Kyushu National Museum)
Session 2— Washizu Katsura (Researcher, Kyushu National Museum)

Admission:

Free, however, visitors must have purchased admission tickets to either the Cultural Exchange Exhibition or the Special Exhibition, Odes to Nature: Art Nouveau Glass by Gallé and Daum