Akita ranga
Encyclopedia
Akita ranga also known as the Akita-ha (秋田派), was a short-lived school of painting within the larger Japanese genre of ranga
, or Dutch-style painting which lasted roughly from 1773-1780. Based in the Akita feudal domain, it was headed by the domain's lord Satake Shozan
and his retainer Odano Naotake. Though many ranga artists, most prominently Shiba Kōkan
, produced works of European themes, the Akita painters for the most part painted traditional Japanese themes and compositions using Western-style techniques and an approximation of oil paints.
Some of the chief features that distinguish Akita ranga from traditional Japanese painting are the inclusion of shadows, the use of perspective, reflections in water, and the use of blue for sky and sea. In addition, ranga artists left little or no blank space on a work, emulating Western art traditions and going against East Asian ones, and used oils and resins in addition to Japanese pigments to simulate the appearance of oil paint. Many of their works feature a large foreground subject which displays techniques in light and shadow, with a small, distant, landscape, displaying an understanding of perspective techniques.
(Dutch studies) scholar Hiraga Gennai
was invited to the domain, in the Tōhoku region
of Honshū
, to help advise the daimyō Satake Shozan on the management of the domain's copper mines. Akita was the primary provider of copper to the archipelago in this period, much of which was also shipped abroad. Though Gennai is known primarily as a physician, botanist and inventor, he was a ranga painter as well, and mentored Shozan in Western artistic techniques.
Odano Naotake, one of Shozan's chief retainers, was then sent to Edo
to live and study with Gennai for five years, and it is believed that he likely came into contact with a number of other artists and rangaku scholars during this time. Returning to Akita, he composed, along with Shozan, three treatises on Western style painting. These were among the first of their kind to be produced in Japan.
The school worked primarily from sketchbooks and from life studies of plants, birds, and insects. Since its members were all fairly wealthy, and of the samurai (noble) class, they had little need to sell their works, but their influence was felt by some commercial artists, including Shiba Kōkan.
Hiraga Gennai was arrested and imprisoned in 1779 for killing one of his disciples in anger and frustration; he died himself soon afterwards. Odano Naotake, being closely associated with Gennai, was dismissed from his official position in Edo, and the school fell apart.
Ranga
Ranga may refer to:* B. S. Ranga , Indian photographer* S. V. Ranga Rao , South Indian actor, director and producer* Ranga Sohoni , Indian Test cricketer* Ranga Ediriwickrama, Australian rules footballer...
, or Dutch-style painting which lasted roughly from 1773-1780. Based in the Akita feudal domain, it was headed by the domain's lord Satake Shozan
Satake Shozan
was a Japanese feudal lord of Akita and founder of the Akita ranga school of Western-style painting. He is more commonly known by his pen name, '...
and his retainer Odano Naotake. Though many ranga artists, most prominently Shiba Kōkan
Shiba Kokan
, born Suzuki Harushige , was a Japanese painter and printmaker of the Edo period, famous both for his Western-style yōga paintings, in imitation of Dutch oil painting styles, methods, and themes, which he painted as Kōkan, and his ukiyo-e prints, primarily forgeries of the works of Suzuki...
, produced works of European themes, the Akita painters for the most part painted traditional Japanese themes and compositions using Western-style techniques and an approximation of oil paints.
History
The school got its start when rangakuRangaku
Rangaku is a body of knowledge developed by Japan through its contacts with the Dutch enclave of Dejima, which allowed Japan to keep abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the country was closed to foreigners, 1641–1853, because of the Tokugawa shogunate’s policy of national...
(Dutch studies) scholar Hiraga Gennai
Hiraga Gennai
was an Edo period Japanese pharmacologist, student of Rangaku, physician, author, painter and inventor who is well known for his Erekiteru , Kandankei and Kakanpu...
was invited to the domain, in the Tōhoku region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
of Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, to help advise the daimyō Satake Shozan on the management of the domain's copper mines. Akita was the primary provider of copper to the archipelago in this period, much of which was also shipped abroad. Though Gennai is known primarily as a physician, botanist and inventor, he was a ranga painter as well, and mentored Shozan in Western artistic techniques.
Odano Naotake, one of Shozan's chief retainers, was then sent to Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
to live and study with Gennai for five years, and it is believed that he likely came into contact with a number of other artists and rangaku scholars during this time. Returning to Akita, he composed, along with Shozan, three treatises on Western style painting. These were among the first of their kind to be produced in Japan.
The school worked primarily from sketchbooks and from life studies of plants, birds, and insects. Since its members were all fairly wealthy, and of the samurai (noble) class, they had little need to sell their works, but their influence was felt by some commercial artists, including Shiba Kōkan.
Hiraga Gennai was arrested and imprisoned in 1779 for killing one of his disciples in anger and frustration; he died himself soon afterwards. Odano Naotake, being closely associated with Gennai, was dismissed from his official position in Edo, and the school fell apart.