The Paper learned that on March 1, the Osaka City Museum of Art in Japan completed its first large-scale renovation since its opening. It returned after a lapse of 2 years and 5 months and launched a reopening commemorative exhibition - "Osaka City Museum of Art Famous Treasures Revealed". The exhibition uses all the exhibition space of the museum building to display about 200 exhibits, covering Chinese and Japanese paintings, calligraphy, rubbings, sculptures, lacquerware, goldware, ceramics, archaeology and other fields. These include two masterpieces from the Song Dynasty, "Distant Mountains and Clear Clouds" by Mi Youren and "Ink Orchid" by Zheng Sixiao. The exhibition also presents many collections that have never been exhibited before, conveying the "unchanged and new charm" of the Osaka City Museum of Art.

Osaka Museum of Art

It is reported that the history of the Osaka City Museum of Art can be traced back to the 1910s, when the Osaka City Government began planning to build a public art museum to promote the development of art and culture. In 1926, the Sumitomo family donated a mansion and its garden (namely "Keizakuen") located in Tennoji Park to the Osaka City as the site for the future art museum. After years of planning and construction, the Osaka City Museum of Art officially opened in 1936.

In the second half of the 20th century, the museum gradually introduced modern exhibition technology and carried out international art exchanges, such as holding Chinese, Korean and European art exhibitions, enriching its collections and academic research directions. In recent years, the museum has focused on digital construction and expanded its collections, building a pattern with East Asian art collections as the core, covering Japanese calligraphy and painting, ceramics, Buddhist sculptures, and ancient Chinese bronzes and paintings. The current number of collections has reached 8,700 pieces, many of which are old collections of people with ties to Kansai.

The first donations were made in the 1940s, and the Abe Collection, Korin Materials, and Sumitomo Collection were donated during this period, forming the core of the collection. In the 1950s, it exchanged donations with the Pigorini Museum in Italy, and in the 1970s, it received donations such as the Yamaguchi Collection, the Taman Collection, and the Casal Collection. Over its 90-year history, the Osaka City Museum of Art's collection lineup covers oriental paintings, crafts, and western artifacts, and has developed into a unique existence that is different from other art museums. Regarding this first large-scale renovation, Naito Sakae, director of the Osaka City Museum of Art, believes that it is "not so much a rebirth" as "restoring its original brilliance."

The English name of "What's new" of "Osaka City Museum of Art's Famous and Treasures" has the meaning of "what's new" in a casual way, as well as "the latest information". This exhibition uses all floors of the museum as special exhibition venues, and exhibits about 250 selected works in various fields such as painting, calligraphy, sculpture, lacquerware, bronze, and ceramics. In addition to the representative masterpieces of the museum, there are also "treasures" that have rarely been exhibited so far.

Chinese calligraphy and painting, bronze and stone inscriptions on display

The exhibition includes two paintings and calligraphy from the Song and Yuan dynasties, namely "Distant Mountains and Clear Clouds" by Mi Youren of the Southern Song Dynasty and "Ink Orchid" by Zheng Sixiao of the Song and Yuan dynasties.

Among them, "Distant Peaks and Clear Clouds" depicts the scenery in the misty rain, with the distant mountains blurred, the nearby trees sparse and blurred, and a stream gurgling from afar to the viewer. The brushwork is mature and free, and the moist brush and ink show the characteristics of "Mi's landscape". Even though the distant mountains are outlined, dyed, and without dots, they still do not seek similarity in details. There are four characters "Yuan Hui Playfully Made", and there is another horizontal paper above that is self-inscribed "The day before the Lantern Festival of Jiayin in Shaoxing, I came to the court by boat from Xinchang, and lived in Qibao Mountain in Lin'an to playfully make a small scroll and give it to the granary for collection". Shaoxing Jiayin is 1134, and Mi Youren was 48 years old at the time.

Mi Youren, Southern Song Dynasty, "Distant Peaks and Clear Clouds"

Zheng Sixiao's "Ink Orchid" depicts a cluster of orchids with sparse flowers and simple leaves. The orchid leaves are upright and stretched, not intersecting each other, and are pure and elegant; there are two orchids, one in full bloom and the other in bud. The orchid leaves in the scroll are symmetrical on both sides, separated in an inverted eight-shaped shape, with a bud half-opened on a short, thin stem in the middle. There is no soil under the flower, and the roots seem to be there and not there.

Zheng Sixiao, Ink Orchid, 1306

"Orchid without roots" corresponds to the state of mind and integrity of the literati at the turn of the Song and Yuan dynasties. After the fall of the Song Dynasty, Zheng Sixiao refused to serve the Yuan Dynasty, so he changed his name to "Sixiao". "Zhao" is composed of "zou" and "xiao", and Sixiao means missing Zhao and Song. His nickname "Suonan" means that his heart is towards the south and he will never serve the foreign race. According to folk rumors, he lived in seclusion in Wuxia, and when he was implicated, he would face south. Normally, he vowed not to associate with northerners, and he cut off all relations with friends who served the Yuan Dynasty.

Postscript to Zheng Sixiao's "Ink Orchid"

Zheng Sixiao likes to paint bamboo, orchid, chrysanthemum and plum, which is also to express his personal integrity of "pure gentleman, no villain". Looking at his works, his words are radical and peaceful, "no nostrils open before painting, the sky is full of ancient fragrance", and he has an attitude of detachment from the world in his old age. It is conceivable that this is related to his thought process of being a Confucian scholar in his childhood, seeking immortality in his middle age, practicing Zen in his later years, and "leaving it all to him" in his old age. Zheng Sixiao spent his life in loneliness, grief and helplessness. This is due to the factors of the times: the country was destroyed and the family was ruined, but more importantly, it should be due to the unique mentality of a literati who is well versed in the thoughts of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.

Postscript to Zheng Sixiao's "Ink Orchid"

Judging from the signature of the Ink Orchid, "I created this scroll on the 15th day of the first month of the Bingwu year", the Bingwu year was the Lantern Festival in 1306 (the Year of the Horse). Zheng Sixiao was 65 years old that year, 27 years after the fall of the Southern Song Dynasty, but his integrity as a "fragrant beauty" has not diminished at all, and he still has a strong sense of arrogance. The subtle fragrance of the black orchid is also the author's expression of his inner spirit through writing, and it is also a portrayal of his own thoughts and character.

"Distant Peaks and Clear Clouds" and "Ink Orchid" are from the "Abe Collection" (formerly owned by Abe Fusajiro, a textile tycoon in Kansai, Japan and a well-known Chinese calligraphy and painting collector, at the Soraikan). Abe Fusajiro's collection of 160 Chinese calligraphy and paintings was donated to the Osaka City Museum of Art by his son Abe Kojiro in 1942, making it another major center for Chinese calligraphy and painting collections in the world.

The "Abe Collection" on display also includes "Pipa Xing Tu" by Wen Jia of the Ming Dynasty, "Flying Sail on the Cliff" by Fu Shan, as well as "Colored Landscape Painting" by Zhu Da, "Secluded Habitat in the Forest and Valleys" by Wang Yuanqi and "Lotus in the Wind" by Li Shan from the Qing Dynasty.

Some of the Chinese paintings, calligraphy and inscriptions in the exhibition were originally collected by "Shiguzhai", whose name reflects the collection concept of "learning from the ancients", that is, to understand and pass on the essence of culture through studying and collecting ancient artworks. The collection focuses on Chinese art, especially works with historical value and high artistic attainments. Other important ancient Chinese cultural relics on display include the "Bronze Gilded Silver Feathered Man" from the Han Dynasty and the "Head of a Standing Bodhisattva Made of Stone" from the Northern Wei Dynasty in Longmen Grottoes.

Gilded Bronze Figure with Silver Feathers, China, Eastern Han Dynasty, 1st-2nd century

Head of a Standing Bodhisattva, Stone (Longmen Grottoes), Northern Wei Dynasty (6th century)

Japanese exhibits present art history-style arrangement

The "Exhibition of Famous and Treasures" brings together representative works from many important periods in the history of Japanese art. These works not only show the evolution of Japanese art, but also reflect the cultural spirit of each era.

The Nara period (710-794) was the golden age of Japanese Buddhist culture, which was deeply influenced by the art of the Tang Dynasty in China. During this period, Japanese art was dominated by Buddhist sculptures, murals, calligraphy, and gold and bronze crafts. A large number of Buddhist scriptures were copied to offer to temples, forming the famous "scripture culture". The "Great Prajna Sutra (Yakushiji Sutra)" in the exhibition (Nara period, 8th century, Osaka City Museum of Art, Tian Wan Collection) is an official sutra copy of this period, reflecting the prosperity of Nara Buddhism.

The Great Prajna Sutra (Yakushinji Sutra) (partial, Important Japanese Artwork), Nara period, 8th century

The handwriting of this sutra is neat and tidy. Based on the regular script of the Tang Dynasty, the strokes are round and the structure is stable, reflecting the superb skills of the sutra writers at that time. The sutra calligraphy of the Nara period was deeply influenced by Tang Dynasty calligraphers such as Wang Xizhi and Ouyang Xun, and it is an important foundation for Japanese calligraphy art in later generations. This sutra is a physical testimony to the prevalence of Buddhism in Japan during the Nara period, reflecting Japan's high respect for the Buddhist classics of the Tang Dynasty in China.

The Kamakura period (1185-1333) was the era of the rise of the samurai class. The art style turned to simplicity, strength, and practicality. The spread of Zen Buddhism led to the rise of ink painting and simple craftsmanship, and the embryonic form of tea ceremony culture also gradually emerged. Goldsmith craftsmanship matured during this period.

The "Bronze Soup Bottle" (Important Cultural Property of Japan) in the exhibition is a Buddhist ritual instrument used in temple rituals or daily Buddhist rituals. This type of bronze vessel is usually used to pour water, wash hands, and offer to Buddha statues. It is an indispensable object in Buddhist rituals. Due to its unique shape and exquisite craftsmanship, it is now designated as an important cultural property of Japan. The bronze soup bottle has a round belly, a long neck, a spout, and a handle. There is no excessive ornate decoration, which conforms to the simple and Zen aesthetics of the Kamakura period.

"Bronze Soup Bottle" (Important Cultural Property of Japan), Kamakura period (13th-14th century)

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Japan ushered in the prosperity of arts and crafts and ukiyo-e. The Edo period was the peak period of Japanese art, and art was diversified. Ceramic crafts (such as Imari, Kutani, and Nabeshima ware) reached their peak. The celadon dyed plate in the exhibits shows the highly developed craftsmanship and decorative aesthetics of the time. This work is glazed with a light green glaze, showing a warm jade texture, which is similar to Longquan celadon. The dyed pattern is painted with blue cobalt material and then covered with celadon glaze, making the pattern looming on the green background, with a strong sense of layering; the main decoration on the bowl is Qinghai wave (that is, a continuous arrangement of arc-shaped wave patterns), which symbolizes auspiciousness, stability, and prosperity. It is a common auspicious pattern in Japanese traditional crafts. The "treasure end" pattern dotted between the waves includes Ruyi jewels, treasure bags, swords, gold ingots, treasure scrolls, etc., which symbolize wealth, wisdom, and good fortune.

"Celadon Dyeing Qinghai Waves" (Nagoshima ware) Edo period (18th century)

In addition, screen paintings and genre paintings show the aesthetics of life in the Edo period. Ukiyo-e is the most important art form of this period. The prints of Hokusai Katsushika, Hiroshige Utagawa and others have a far-reaching influence, not only recording the social outlook of Edo, but also inspiring later impressionist artists.

The "Kosode Screen with Dried Insects" by Katsushika Shinshunsai in the exhibition is a handscroll that vividly depicts the custom of "drying insects" in the Edo period, showing the seasonal activities in the homes of Japanese aristocrats, samurai and wealthy merchants at the time, as well as the clothing, living habits and social atmosphere of the time.

Katsubbe Nyoshunsai, Kosode Folding Screen with Dried Insects (detail), Edo period (18th century)

Mushiboshi is a traditional custom performed in autumn or early winter, where people take clothes, folding screens, books, etc. outdoors to dry in order to prevent them from being eaten by insects and mold. This custom is not only a necessity for life, but also a social activity. Especially in the homes of samurai and wealthy merchants, they often invite relatives and friends to appreciate precious collections such as kimonos, folding screens, calligraphy and paintings. This scroll depicts the worm-drying activities in the aristocratic mansions in detail with a coherent scene, showing the daily elegance of the wealthy class in the Edo period.

At the end of the 19th century, Japan began to accept the influence of Western art, forming a parallel development of "Western painting" and "Japanese painting". Uemura Shoen is one of the representatives of modern Japanese painting. In "Late Autumn", she continued the elegant style of traditional Japanese beauty painting and incorporated Western realism to make the characters more realistic and three-dimensional. During this period, Japanese art established its unique position in the global art trend.

Uemura Shoen, Late Autumn, 1943

Yuzo Saeki (1898-1928) is one of the important representatives of modern Western painting in Japan. He is famous for his unique expressionist style and depiction of Parisian street scenes. He studied oil painting at Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) and went to France to study in 1924. In Paris, he was deeply influenced by post-impressionism and expressionism, and formed a strong personal style. His works are known for heavy brushstrokes, unique colors, and distorted compositions. He is particularly good at depicting the architecture, streets and urban atmosphere of Paris.

Yuzo Saeki, "Church", 1924

"The Church" is one of the important works of Yuzo Saeki in the early period of his stay in France in 1924, showing his keen observation of European architecture and his initial exploration of expressionist style. The work may depict a church in Paris or other cities in France, showing a dynamic picture through strong brushstrokes, thick accumulation of colors and distortion of the building's outline.

From the Buddhist art of the Nara period, to the samurai aesthetics of the Kamakura period, to the ukiyo-e and ceramics of the Edo period, to the fusion and innovation of modern times, Japanese art has inherited traditions while constantly absorbing foreign cultures, forming a unique development path. The exhibition is a display of this historical context.

The exhibition will last until March 30

(This article is compiled based on the data of Osaka City Museum of Art and related documents)