Uemura Shoen

Very shortly many of you will be receiving postcards with the art work of Uemura Shoen on them. I hope you read this because I spent a lot of time choosing which ones I sent to which people. I really like her work, its simple and beautiful and often about the same thing I am about when it comes to painting figures.

Well, she picked up the name Shoen from the artist she studied under, Suzuki Shoen, which was a big deal for her own times. Her real name was Uemura Tsune and she was the daughter of a tea merchant (a woman, so she grew up in an all woman household). Her mother actually susported her becoming an artist which was also unusual for her time. She was suspected of an affair with her teacher and she had two illigetimate children (also, of course, a big deal for the time) but raised them as a single mother and is probably one of the most famous female artists in Japan today.



Her work is often described with the terms nihonga and bijinga. bijinga being the term for beautiful women in Japanese art, and Nihonga being a traditional style of Japanese painting. Some of her most interesting pieces (in my opinion) draw from Noh drama.

"Late Autumn" is to the right. This piece is during the period where she painted women doing daily chores. They are working, doing their part during the meiji era. I suppose Uemura had a conservative view? They suggest to me this idea of the woman doing her part by taking care of the household, something that was really encouraged during the Meiji era.

I think the english title of this piece to the left is "flames" but I may be wrong. It's inspired by Lady Rokujo, a woman from the tale of genji who haunts genji and many of his lovers (both when she is alive and dead). She is the center of mant Noh dramas because of her nature as a character. What you can't see on her kimono because of the quality of this image is the spiderwebs. I particularly like that detail. This was a switch in style fro uemura, as the woman here departs from her typical beautiful figures (she is biting her hair-It's sort of too sensual, or something) and after submitting this piece Uemura did not do any work for some time.


If you guys have anyquestions about whichever postcard you receive then let me know and I'll give you any information I can.

that's about all...
Much Love!