Today in the Main building of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after AS Pushkin opens exhibition of Japanese prints from the private collection of A. Orlova-Kretchmera

Today, 15 December, in the main building of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after AS Pushkin (31-th Hall) opens exhibition of Japanese prints from the private collection of A. Orlova-Kretchmera "Lives of 47 loyal samurai in the engravings of Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861 )».

The exhibition features will be presented 55 sheets. Of these, 51 list is a complete series of "Seytyu Gisiden", one sheet is a rare variant of the second sheet and three sheets form a triptych created by the artist in conjunction with the series (it's even more rare than the series).

Thus, the public is familiar with the world's only complete collection of engravings. At the exhibition they will be exhibited for the first time, together with translations of biographies of the characters. Transfers are made MV Uspensky, A. Marx, and MV Toropygina. Well-known collector, a doctor of sociological sciences, professor Alexander Orlov-Kretchmer interested in a series of "Seytyu Gisiden" Kuniyoshi and collected worldwide engravings from this series. The fact that this was no easy task, confirms the fact that none of the known foreign and Russian museum collections is not as complete a series of prints Kuniyoshi "Seytyu Gisiden».

series of woodcuts is related to true story that occurred in Japan in 1701. Forty-seven samurai, after the death of his master became ronin, or warriors without overlord. More than a year they hatched a plan of revenge, and then in winter 1702 in the 14 th day 12 th of the moon fell on the lock culprit death of their master, cut off his head and laid it on the grave of his late overlord. Reprisals were banned in the country, so the act of faithful warriors roused the whole country. On the one hand, the soldiers violated the law, on the other - they followed the code of the warrior and the duty to his master. True samurai were sentenced to death, but under the pressure of public opinion sentence was commuted honorable death by committing hara-kiri. The warriors were buried beside his master in the cemetery of the temple Sengakudzi in the city of Edo (now Tokyo).

history of forty-seven ronin takes place in the arts of Japan no less significant than the event itself in Japanese history. She became a favorite theme in literature, theater and visual arts of Japan. The plot of forty-seven loyal samurai "became popular among the most famous Japanese artists who worked in the technique of wood engraving. A great number of engravings served as illustrations of the plays written for the traditional Japanese Kabuki Theater. Perhaps no other topic in the Japanese art can not compare in popularity with the history of vassal loyalty to the forty-seven samurai. Most of the artists of the second half of the XVIII - XIX century, created works on this subject. Even the great Utamaro, known as a singer of feminine beauty, or the famous landscape artists Hokusai and Hiroshige have repeatedly called on the play "Kanadehon Tyusingura" ( "Treasury of vassal loyalty"). But the most popular in Japan was a series of works Kuniyoshi.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, known during his lifetime "Musya-e but Kuniyoshi", or "Kuniyoshi (drawing) of soldiers", he turned to the topic more the very beginning of his work. In 1814 published a book "Gobudzi Tyusingura" with his illustrations. In addition, the artist has created several series of portraits of the heroes of this play. Since the Edo period (1603-1867) in Japan was strictly forbidden to depict the historical events of the recent past, the action of the play was postponed until the end of the XII century, and the names of all known characters changed slightly, but they were so in tune with the real names that the public of their easily learned.

Series Seytyu Gisiden "occupies a special place in the work of Kuniyoshi. This is the first series of memorial portraits of forty-seven ronin, which served as a role model for many other artists. The series was launched in August 1847 and completed in January 1848.

artist turned to the well-known and encouraged by the Government of the new genre Musya-e (the image of warriors) and created a new type of heroic portrait, which has become very popular in the middle of the XIX century. Engravings depicting legendary warriors, accompanied by texts describing the biography or the content of their legendary act associated with retribution. Lyrics to engravings Ippitsuanom written by Japanese writer (real name: Ikeda Yoshinobu, 1790-1848).

selfless act of forty-seven samurai in Japan and honor in our days. Every year, 14 December, thousands of pilgrims visit the temple Sengakudzi in Tokyo to pay tribute to the loyal soldiers. In these days of kabuki make representations as to televisions show movies on the heroism and forty-seven brave soldiers.

Exhibition series of engravings "Seytyu Gisiden" Utagawa Kuniyoshi - a landmark event for all art lovers. Passion for Japanese culture experienced by many European countries in the late XIX - early XX century. In Russia, Japanese prints collected such famous collectors as Shchukin, Ostroukhov, artists I. Grabar , G. Nyssa , M. Larionov . In GMII im. Pushkin, too, is a collection of Japanese prints, based on - a private collection of Russian naval officer SN Kitaeva.

Collection A. Orlova-Kretchmera not previously demonstrated no in a museum in Russia. The opening of this exhibition will be accompanied by a presentation of the album, issued by the owner, in which the collection was first published: "Aesthetics of retaliation Samurai" (Published by Art Bureau Classic. "Moscow, 2009).

Exhibition runs until February 14, 2010.

Source: mkrf.ru