Visiting a Recluse

Kansetsu’s real name was Kanichi. He studied the painting of the Shijo school first under Koko Kataoka and then under Seiho Takeuchi. He was also well-versed in Chinese classics and nanga and created uniquely bold, bighearted, and exuberant expressions in nanga. In 1934, he was appointed as teishitsu gigeiin, an artist to serve the Imperial Household. In 1935, he became a member of the Teikoku Bijutsuin (Imperial Art Academy). Besides frequently visiting China, he also made a tour of Europe and gained extensive knowledge concerning art of all ages and countries, which he developed into a refined style of painting.

“My mentor is the nature in China.” With this principle, Kansetsu often visited China and painted many works based on scenes and manners, folklore, and history. Although the source has not been identified, these screens are also associated with Chinese folklore, in which a man of virtue secluded in the mountains is persuaded to take part in central politics. The right screen shows two people sitting face to face on the rocks. The man on the right is the recluse and the man on the right is the visitor keenly persuading the recluse. They are probably in serious discussion. A tense atmosphere comes across. The left screen shows the ox-drawn carriage and the attendant that brought the visitor there. The figures are painted in a clean-cut style of the Shijo school and the trees and rocks are done in a nanga-like style making frequent use of flexible, broad-minded line drawing. Western painting techniques are adopted for the voluminous portrayal of the ox. Kansetsu’s capability to skillfully blend these different painting techniques was the fruit of his conversance in art of all ages and regions.

(dimensions)
each 193.0×372.0cm