Harvest

Exhibited in the second exhibition of the Meiji Bijutsukai (Meiji Art Society), this autumn scene of workers harvesting rice is a representative work of Asai’s middle period, as well as a monumental work from the viewpoint of the history of Meiji era Western-style painting.

Asai Chu first studied under Kunisawa Shinkuro. In 1876, he enrolled in the newly established Kobu Bijutsu Gakko (Technical Art School), where he was taught by Antonio Fontanesi, and in 1889, participated in the founding of the Meiji Bijutsukai. As in Fields in spring, which he showed in the first exhibition of the society, he again depicted a farming village in the work shown here. Baskets and bamboo poles have been placed at lower right — motifs that serve as repoussoirs that push the other objects deeper into the picture. The relative positions of the three figures and the heights of their heads are arranged so as to appear to converge gradually toward the center of the picture, from the man at right, to the woman at left, to the woman at center. This kind of solid application of perspective gives depth and stability to the work. Asai also did other scenes of farming villages, and in these, as well as in the present work, possible connections with photographs have been pointed out. In addition, recent radiographic examination has revealed that there is a picture of Futamigaura painted beneath Harvest. This painting was purchased from Nagao Kenkichi on October 27, 1896, the same year as the establishment of the course of Western painting of the Tokyo Fine Arts School, and became one of the earliest works to enter its collection. It was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1967. (Writer : Masako Kawaguchi Source : Selected Masterpieces from The University Art Museum, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music: Grand Opening Exhibition, The University Art Museum, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, 1999)