Sotatsu—Scenes from Genji, Ise, and Saigyo Tales

September 17 (Sun.), 2023 – November 12 (Sun.)

This special display will feature the work of Tawaraya Sotatsu, a painter of some note in Kyoto who was active during the early Edo Period. Sotatsu set about illustrating a variety of individuals from common people to aristocrats in Kyoto when another popular artist, Tosa Mitsuyoshi, began producing paintings following his evacuation from Kyoto to Sakai due to the turmoil brought about by war. Although pictures depicting The Tale of Genji were known to be the specialty of the artists of the Tosa School, Sotatsu also left a number of paintings depicting this tale in his own style, somewhat different from that of Tosa. He was the founder of the Sotatsu School, which was one of the most important schools in the Japanese art scene during the Edo Period. We will exhibit his work on stories, as well as other works from his studio, Sotatsu Kobo, including the tales of Genji and Ise, many of which have been loaned from some national museums in Japan as well as private collections.