Souvenir of Kyoto's Entertainment: The Shiomi Rakuchu-Rakugaizu Screens in the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
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Date
2009-12
Authors
Hanson, Heather, 1984-
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This thesis examines an unstudied pair of eight-paneled Japanese rakuchurakugaizu
screens donated by Dr. Robert H. Shiomi to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
(JSMA). Rakuchu-rakugaizu (Scenes in and Out of the Capital) was a popular painting
genre that developed over the late sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. In contrast to most
accepted scholarly views of this genre, I believe the Shiomi screens are void of political
intentions and function as souvenirs. Closely comparing the visual traits to other known
examples and contemporary travel guides demonstrates the shift in focus to entertainment
and famous sites in the capital available to Kyoto's citizens and visitors alike. Kyoto's
history, the prevalence of travel that came with a reunified Japan during the Tokugawa
hegemony, and the identification of activities, temples, and shrines within the screens
solidifies this argument. This facilitates a nuanced understanding of this painting genre and
demonstrates alternative approaches for its study.
Description
ix, 95 p. : ill., maps. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.
Keywords
Screens -- Japan, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art