Moonlight, mystery and beauty: the complex world of the artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

Yoshitoshi's work enjoys great fame in the Netherlands among collectors and connoisseurs. Many know his penetrating and sometimes lyrical prints in which the moon plays a dominant role. In addition, during his 34 years long career, Yoshitoshi also focuses on the harsh realities of the great battles of the past, the mysterious tales of ghosts and spirits, as well as actors of the kabuki theater and the geisha world. In this Yoshitoshi retrospective in the SieboldHuis, all those genres are well represented.

Initially Yoshitoshi followed the style of his famous master Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861). His prints are completely filled with numerous samurai engaged in bitter fighting. After 1882, Yoshitoshi was recognized by his contemporaries as the greatest print artist of his time when he developed a unique style often with dramatic lines and beautiful colors. The triptych, unique for it's time, is his favorite size. The large and often deep [?] dark-colored prints have a huge presence. The final years of his life were his most productive, with his series of 32 beauties, the 36 apparitions and 100 aspects of the moon. [[From that period stem the vertical diptychs which size is unique in his time.]] Yoshitoshi died at the age of 53 from a brain haemorrhage leaving an oeuvre of more than 2300 prints.

Yoshitoshi is often seen as one of the founding fathers of Japanese manga and animation. Many of his themes are used in Japanese comics and movies. For those interested in this form of Japanese visual art, this exhibition is a rich source of inspiration and a must-see.
 
The exhibition is divided into two parts: 

Part 1: December 9th, 2011 > January 22nd, 2012

Part 2: January 24th > March 4th, 2012. EXTENDED until March 18th

See www.sieboldhuis.org for special tours, lectures etc.

Catalog: Yoshitoshi - Masterpieces from the Ed Freis Collection, 178 pp, 160 color illustrations, € 49.50 (special exhibition offer: € 45.- )