Art Institute of Chicago presents Ukiyo-e masterpieces from the Weston Collection
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Wednesday, December 4, 2024


Art Institute of Chicago presents Ukiyo-e masterpieces from the Weston Collection
Utagawa Toyokuni. A painting from One Hundred Looks of Various Women, 1816. Weston Collection.



CHICAGO, IL.- The Art Institute of Chicago is presenting Painting the Floating World: Ukiyo-e Masterpieces from the Weston Collection, a collection formed by Roger Weston over the last twenty-five years which captures compellingly the beginning, major developments, and final flowering of ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world) painting. Encompassing folding screens, hanging scrolls, handscrolls, and albums, these works are technically accomplished masterpieces by the most famous artists in Edo (present-day Tokyo) and beyond. Ukiyo-e comprises both paintings and prints, so it is especially meaningful that such a complete collection of paintings can be shown at a museum known for its significant holdings of prints.

The floating world (ukiyo) flourished in the bustling urban centers of Kamigata (Kyoto, Osaka) and Edo from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries. People of all ranks shared in metropolitan amusements, including the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters and the kabuki theater. The extraordinary paintings in the exhibition, which focus almost exclusively on the beautiful people (bijinga) who were the celebrities of this milieu, offer a privileged, intimate view of the floating world and its many attractions. Ukiyo-e paintings were commissioned works executed by well-known artists, among them Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) and Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806). Lavish, one-of-a-kind objects, the paintings display the makers’ extraordinary technical skill and address a wide range of subjects, including actors, courtesans, geisha, musicians, and scenes of everyday life in Edo.

“When visitors walk away from this show, we want them to have an understanding that the floating world is full of individuals looking to forge a unique identity for themselves as urban, sophisticated, fashionable and trendy, just as we do in our modern-day society,” said Janice Katz, the Roger L. Weston Associate Curator of Japanese Art.

The exhibition, staged in the museum’s Regenstein Hall, is the largest exhibition exclusively of ukiyo-e paintings in the U.S. With approximately 160 pieces of art on display, the sheer size of the exhibition is spectacular. Visitors can find parallels between ukiyo-e and present day culture- the exploration of fashion and celebrity, the desire to seek out unique experiences- as well as a thread of influence that can be traced though to the fantasy worlds of Japanese anime and manga.

The paintings are organized in chronological order throughout eight rooms, charting the birth of ukiyo-e and key moments in its evolution. To give visitors the ability to observe the skill of the artists up close, the glass cases housing the works have a depth of just eight inches. The experience of the exhibition is further enhanced with dynamic maps of the city, educational videos, and digital tablets.

The Art Institute of Chicago is the exclusive venue for this exhibition. In addition, a complementary exhibition in the Weston Wing and Japanese Art Galleries featuring prints and paintings from the Art Institute’s collection is on view until February 10, 2019.










Today's News

December 27, 2018

Exhibition offers an opportunity to admire more than 150 works by Marc Chagall

Art Institute of Chicago presents Ukiyo-e masterpieces from the Weston Collection

Gothic Beauty: Victorian notions of love, loss and spirituality explored in exhibition at Bendigo Art Gallery

TEFAF Maastricht: Recalibrated fair announces exhibitor list for 2019

Exhibition presents highlights from The Huntington's Southern California Architecture Collection

Museum of the City of New York offers a fascinating look at New York's battle against infectious disease

Exhibition emphasises Julian Trevelyan's extensive contribution to mid-20th century British art

Skating is theme of exhibition at the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art

Liz Collins investigates the intersection between painting and fiber art in new installation

De La Warr Pavilion presents the first major presentation of Pailthorpe and Mednikoff's art in 20 years

Art Rotterdam 2019: Twentieth edition of renowned art fair will be held in Van Nelle Factory

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles exhibits the work of Nina Chanel Abney

Gallery list announced for Taipei Dangdai's inaugural edition

Exhibition focuses on the relationship between the archive and the formation of history

Miami-based artist's most comprehensive show to date on view at Pérez Art Museum Miami

Crow Museum of Asian Art presents 'Jacob Hashimoto: Clouds and Chaos' in newly renovated facility

Exhibition explores the pivotal role of architecture and urban planning in human health

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts presents the North American premiere of Liminals by Jeremy Shaw

Heide Museum of Modern Art presents the work exhibited at Sweeney Reed's two gallery ventures

The Winter Show announces exhibitors for 2019 edition

Exhibition presents photographs that interact with ceramic surfaces

Art Fair Tokyo 2019 announcing theme: Art Life

The National Gallery of Victoria presents the Australian premiere of Hito Steyerl's "Factory of the Sun"




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful