January & February 2013 - Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film ...

EXHIBITIONSFacing Two DirectionsA Japanese Painter Looks to ChinaJanuary 30–March 24New ExhibitionA magnificent pair of screens painted in ink on an unusualbackground of silver and gold by Sakaki Hyakusen(1697–1752), the founding father of Nanga (SouthernSchool) painting in Japan, presents a shimmeringvision of a watery landscape. The screens display elementsthat are unusual at this early point in Nangapainting—precise brushwork, detailed treatment offoreground elements, and the incorporation of spatialeffects to produce atmosphere—revealing Hyakusen’ssurprising mastery of Chinese painting technique.James Cahill describes Hyakusen as an artist facingtwo directions: one toward the celebrated past ofMing and early Qing dynasty Chinese painting, andthe other toward the future through his influence onsucceeding generations of Nanga painters such asYosa Buson (1716–83), whose screen Landscape withTravelers is also on view.Hyakusen appears to be anomalous in his ability todistinctly interpret Chinese painting traditions withgreat subtlety and skill. Most Nanga artists learnedtheir techniques and painterly style not from originalChinese artworks but from woodblock-printed manualsthat were imported into a very insular Japan. The variedbrushwork and the complex compositional techniquesevident in these screens suggest that Hyakusen hadfirst-hand knowledge of genuine works of art from China,which he perhaps saw in the open port of Nagasaki.The screens, a recent gift to BAM/PFA, are approximately250 years old and yet they remain fresh andexhilarating. Still, they show their age, including grimeand oxidation of the painted surface, as well as somedamage to the mounting and backing. BAM/PFA isactively pursuing funding for the conservation of theseimportant works of art to secure their preservationfor future generations.Facing Two Directions is organized by Senior Curator for AsianArt Julia M. White.Sakaki Hyakusen: Landscape, 18th century; pair of six-foldscreens (detail); ink on gold and silver; ea. 66 ¾ × 143 3/8 in.;gift of James Cahill.GALLERIES ALWAYS FREE FOR BAM/PFA MEMBERS7 BAM / PFA