Download issue 10, April 2013 (PDF 3MB)

More documents

Recommendations

Info

ArticlesThe discovery of wartime letters ofKOISO RyoheiIn the summer of 2007, interestinghistorical materials related to warpaintings were found. They were thewartime letters of KOISO Ryohei. Hewrote them to his painter friendUCHIDA Iwao (1900–53) who heldliberal views and who had refused therequest of military service due to hispoor physical health. KOISO andUCHIDA were graduates of Tokyo FineArts School and they had been friendssince school days. During World WarII, KOISO, who was one of the centralfigures of the art world through theproduction of Japanese war paintings,lived in the international port city,Kobe. On the other hand, UCHIDA,who didn’t have a good reputation withthe Imperial Army and Navy had beenevacuated to a local village inOkayama. However, they were bestfriends and they could talk aboutanything through establishment of thenew art group in the era of turbulence.In 2004, I planned a specialexhibition of UCHIDA Iwao tocommemorate 50 years after hisdeath. This exhibition was organized incollaboration with Mr. FUJII Shigeki,curator of Niimi city museum. Thepeaceful town of Niimi was theevacuation area of UCHIDA in wartime.And at that time, I became acquaintedwith his daughter who told me thatthere were letters from KOISO.However, they did not come out in2004. Then after three years, theKOISO letters were found in the houseof the eldest daughter of UCHIDA.There were 38 pieces, and I discovereda very important letter among them.In this letter, dated 31 December1944, KOISO Ryohei wrote about thesufferings of Japanese artists duringthe war. He said,There is no evidence that warpainting have a good direction. Wemust consider this problem. I thinkJapanese war pictures and pure artsare sick. And I understand the feelingsof those who blame the warpaintings…Everyone doesn’t knowwhat to do. Even if they know theycan’t do anything…Encouragement todraw war images is completelymeaningless. It has no effect… TheJapanese are suffering. Suffer more! Iwill suffer more! You will suffermore… and It’s my true feelings!However, you may feel as I feel, oursituation is not good now..This unexpected discovery was bignews in Japan. Because it might beacknowledged that KOISO wasopposed to the policies of theJapanese military that were promotingthe production of war paintings. And itwas very dangerous at that time.However, I think he had only slightpolitical intentions. More than that,KOISO was tired of making warpaintings because the suffering wasreflected in his writings. So, I want toKOISO Ryohei(Left)and MIYAMOTOSaburo(Right)talk about his serious suffering later.Incidentally, after the war, UCHIDAIwao attacked war paintings as theforefront of liberal artists group and headvocated the democratization of theJapanese art world. He was a friend ofFujita, but he never allowed the warrecord art. Therefore, many peoplethink that UCHIDA cornered FOUJITATsuguharu, MIYAMOTO Saburo andother artists. The truth is a mystery.However, in the turmoil of post-warJapan, that artists were confused is aclear fact. In order to reveal it, I willclear up the truth of their wartime. Iwould like to discuss the details here,and I believe that it also lead to theelucidation of the suffering of KOISORyohei.28 MAGAZINE ISSUE <strong>10</strong>
ArticlesKOISO ’s war record pictures in theNetherlands East IndiesIn March 1942, KOISO Ryohei waselected as military-service painter.KOISO’s third military servicedestination was Indonesia. Accordingto Japanese Imperial Army’sdocuments at that time, 15 otherpainters were also dispatched to thebattlefields including FOUJITA andMIYAMOTO. KOISO stayed in Bataviaon Java Island from May to July.The theme given to KOISO Ryoheiwas the ceasefire meeting betweenthe Japanese Army and the RoyalNetherlands Indies Army. In order topaint the monumental war recordpainting, he drew many roughsketches. Among them, there is on oilsketch of IMAMURA Hitosi (SupremeCommander of the Imperial JapaneseArmy) holding a samurai sword in hishand. Furthermore, KOISO went to aprisoner of war camp and drew Dutchofficers and politicians. In these oilsketches, Hein ter Poorten(Commander of the Royal NetherlandsIndies Army) and Tjarda vanStarkenborgh Stachouwer (Governor-General of the Netherlands EastIndies) are drawn realistically. Theartistic excellence of KOISO is clear inthese portraits.After returning to Japan, hefinished drawing the meeting scene ofthe Dutch troops and the surrender atKarijati airport on the island of Java.This painting, Meeting at Karijati, Java(on indefinite loan to The NationalMuseum of Modern Art, Tokyo) isfamous and spectacular. This hugepainting is representative of his warpaintings. First of all, this painting hasexcellent composition, an orderlyatmosphere dominates the picture. Inthis scene many people are gathered,proper perspective has been usedmost effectively by KOISO. Second, theopen doors at the front intentionallycreat a theatrical effect. Meanwhile,the reporters on the right side werethe newspaper correspondents.Through recent research, it wasdiscoverd KOISO was referring to theMainichi Shimbun news photographs.KOISO, who wasn’t at the meeting,The realism of thispainting is wonderfuland his realisticbrushwork will remain inthe history of Japanesemodern art.painted this monumental war recordpicture based on his drawings andnews photos. The realism of thispainting is wonderful and his realisticbrushwork will remain in the history ofJapanese modern art.However, the quality of KOISO’swartime art went down after this work.Because of the severe war situation,production multiplied and adequatepreparation for artists becameimpossible. Of course, this adversecondition was not limited to him, butKOISO, who had a strong commitmentto realism, was especially damaged.After that, he only went once to Burmaand Thailand, therefore, the other warrecord paintings were painted withoutgoing to actual spots and sketchingofficers and soldiers directly. Suchpoor working conditions robbed him ofhis excellent realism, which annoyedhim greatly. This irritation lead to hisnotable letter criticizing war recordpaintings.OISO Ryohei , Meeting at Karijati, JavaISSUE <strong>10</strong> MAGAZINE 29
Page 1: ISSUE 10 APRIL 2013MAGAZINE14Re-ope
Page 4: NewsICOMAM NEWSChers membres etsymp
Page 8 and 9: NewsCastles everywhere! This one is
Page 10 and 11: NewsUN ATT Gen AssmblyICOMAM gains
Page 12 and 13: NewsUN ATT Feb Prep Commexchange of
Page 14 and 15: NewsThe Rijksmuseum.Iwan Baan. Imag
Page 16 and 17: News17th century gallery. In thisga
Page 19: Newsdéfenseurs de Bastogne. Le MNH
Page 22 and 23: NewsStuart W. PyhrrStuart W. Pyhrr
Page 24 and 25: Exhibitionstoys and panels. At the
Page 26 and 27: ArticlesKOISO Ryohei andother Japan
Page 30 and 31: ArticlesYOSHIOKA Kenji, MIYAMOTO Sa
Page 32 and 33: ArticlesAn Anglo-Portuguese souveni
Page 34 and 35: Articlesflannel cartridges either s
Page 36 and 37: ArticlesAbove: The saltpetre is pur

Download issue 10, April 2013 (PDF 3MB)

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?