Hiroshige and the Fan: A Journey to 19th Century Japan at Musée National des Arts Asiatiques — Guimet
Hiroshige and the Fan
A Journey to 19th-Century Japan
February 15, 2023 — May 29, 2023
For the first time in France, Musée Guimet presents a unique collection of woodblock prints by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), designed to decorate fans. Created from the 1830s to the 1850s, they are among the rarest and most elaborate prints by Hiroshige, who was one of the last great artists of Edo-period Japan. These fan prints reveal the graphic inventiveness and diversity of his work, including representations of famous sites in the city of Edo and the landscapes of Japan’s provinces, subtle compositions featuring flowers and birds, portraits of women, historical or literary scenes, and humorous images. The works on display come from the Jerzy Leskowicz Foundation, which boasts one of the finest collections of this kind in the world.
A seasonal and ephemeral accessory, the flat bamboo fan (uchiwa) became popular in Japan in the Edo period (1603-1868) and was one form of creative expression for the masters of the ukiyo-e school of Japanese art. These fans were initially sold in summer by peddlers or on temporary stalls during festivals. From the late 18th century, sellers of woodblock prints and illustrated books also placed Edo fans in their shopfronts when these accessories began to be signed by famous artists. Since these fans were disposable, few remain. The woodblock prints that have survived (uncut first editions) are those that were never mounted on the fan frame and have been preserved by publishers of woodblock prints or by collectors. Today, many of these works are unique or very rare in the world.
Hiroshige created over six hundred and fifty woodblock prints to decorate this everyday accessory. The exhibition on the 2nd floor of Guimet Museum invites visitors to discover the artist’s great graphic creativity and preferred themes through a selection of some ninety works, among the finest in the Jerzy Leskowicz Collection, which is the largest and most important private collection of Hiroshige’s fan prints.
Some of the works exhibited depict famous sites of the city of Edo (now Tokyo). They show urban views, gardens, temples, leisure and excursion sites, and the “red-light district” Yoshiwara. These images are characterized by the seasons, particular moments of the day, rituals, and celebrations, with people (often women) always present. The landscapes of Japan’s provinces faithfully depict spas, maritime views, places of pilgrimage, and the river crossings that provide so many picturesque scenes. “The world of pleasures” and themes from fashionable fictional works enjoyed by the Edo popular audience also appear on Hiroshige’s fans, with a wide variety of subjects: elegant female characters in their everyday surroundings or combined with famous sites, literary or classical themes, and themes from the contemporary repertoire of kabuki theatre or even burlesque novels. Finally, bucolic themes composed of flowers, plants, birds, and animals are also heavily present in the woodblock prints exhibited.
