Kawanabe Kyōsui (河鍋 暁翠, January 4, 1868 – May 7, 1935)[1] was a Meiji era painter for nihonga and ukiyoe.

Illustration of The Battle of Pungdo (朝鮮豊島沖海戦之図) drawn by Kyōsui in 1894
Kawanabe Kyōsui
BornJanuary 4, 1868
Edo, Japan
DiedMay 7, 1935
Known forUkiyoe, Nihonga

Early Training

edit

Kyōsui learned painting with her father Kawanabe Kyōsai.[2][3] Kyōsai encouraged his students to copy his work carefully to become proficient. As one of his students, Kyōsui became adept at this, producing works that to this day are indistinguishable from her father's, created in his name.[4]

Paintings

edit
 
La Fontaine's fable The Mice in Council illustrated by Kyōsui in 1894

Kyōsui specialized in genres such as devotional Buddhist paintings, bijin-ga images and scenes from noh and kyōgen theater.[3]

She was accepted into the second Naikoku Kaiga Kyoshinkai (内国共進会, National Painting Competition) at age 17.[1]

She also depicted room interiors.[5]

A large collection of Kyōsui's work is housed in the Kawanabe Kyosai Memorial MuseumJa in Warabi in Saitama.[1] Her work can also be found in the British Museum collection.[6]

University professorship

edit

In 1902, the year after it opened, Kyōsui became the first female professor at the arts institution, Private Women's School of Fine Arts[7][8] which later became Joshibi University of Art and Design.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "公益財団法人 河鍋暁斎記念美術館". kyosai-museum.jp. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  2. ^ "Collections Online | British Museum". www.britishmuseum.org. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
  3. ^ a b Gordenker, Alice (2018-04-17). "Legacy of genius: Kyosai and Kyosui". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  4. ^ Jordan, Brenda G.; Weston, Victoria Louise (2003). Copying the Master and Stealing His Secrets: Talent and Training in Japanese Painting. University of Hawaii Press. p. 113. ISBN 0824826086.
  5. ^ "Treasures of the Library". SISJAC. Retrieved 2022-03-12.
  6. ^ "painting; hanging scroll; storage box | British Museum". The British Museum. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  7. ^ "父親譲りの画力!河鍋暁斎の娘「河鍋暁翠」もまた浮世絵師としての才能に満ちていた : Japaaan". Japaaan - 日本文化と今をつなぐウェブマガジン (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-03-08.
  8. ^ "English | 女子美術大学・女子美術大学短期大学部". www.joshibi.ac.jp. Retrieved 2019-03-08.