Kyosai

The Japanese artist Kawanabe Kyosai (1831–89) was celebrated for his exciting impromptu painting performances at calligraphy and painting parties. Described by British scholar Timothy Clark as “an individualist and an independent, perhaps the last virtuoso in traditional Japanese painting," Kyosai saw Japan transform itself from a feudal country into a modern state. The politically turbulent times in which he lived are reflected in his riotous images, in which skeletons, demons and ghosts rub shoulders with classically rendered ukiyo-e courtesans.
Among his most charming and inventive works are his brilliant depictions of animals—crows, frogs and elephants, among many others—which often stand in for political figures of the day. Overlooked for decades, particularly compared to his earlier counterparts Hokusai and Hiroshige, Kyosai is now celebrated for his ability to bridge popular culture and traditional art. His important place in the art of Japan is here explored in depth by Koto Sadamura, a leading authority on the artist, in this catalog of the exceptionally rich holdings of the Israel Goldman Collection, one of the finest Kyosai collections in the world.

Kawanabe Kyosai (1831–89) delighted in the depiction of animals—crows with strong personalities, frogs in the schoolroom, rats on trapezes, cats in procession, elephants performing tricks—and frequently used them to satirize contemporary society.
Having been trained as an academic painter, Kyosai would have been aware of traditions in which artists depicted creatures according to the laws of nature—the weak falling prey to the strong—as a commentary on actual society. He delighted in reversing such power relationships, frequently doing so to give an unexpected twist to the conventions of traditional imagery, and he seems particularly to have enjoyed giving smaller animals a chance to get their own back on their predators.
Animal imagery has long occupied a significant place in Japanese art and literature. Each animal possesses a different symbolism for its special abilities or characteristics, and some are associated with deities, religious narratives, particular events or seasons of the year. Agile rabbits are sometimes featured in armor. Puppies were depicted not only for their cute appearance but also because they symbolize fertility and safe birth, and thus the prosperity of the family. “Humanized” creatures often appear in illustrated tales and in social satires.
This enchanting book reveals a cavalcade of Kyosai’s creatures from the renowned Israel Goldman Collection, with an introduction to the artist and his menagerie by Koto Sadamura, a leading authority on Kyosai.