Reader Collection > Exhibitions > Japanese Bird Art, 1950 to present day Part 6 Shikishi by 50 artists

Introduction

Shikishi is the Japanese name for a paper-covered fiber board used primarily by Japanese painters and calligraphers for their art. It is relatively small in size and almost square (i.e., typically 245 x 275 mm) with a border resembling gold leaf.

Fifty examples of shikishi from the Reader Collection of Japanese Art are presented in this virtual exhibition. The Reader Collection focuses on flower and bird art so the fifty examples are pictures of flowers and (or) birds, each by a different artist who was active during the last half of the 20^th century. While each artist had a unique style, their pictures can be grouped based on the level of accuracy they used to depict their flower and bird subjects. Some artists (examples 1-22) drew them objectively (i.e., accurate shape and color) while other artists (examples 23-50) drew them semi-objectively (i.e., less accurate shape and [or] color). Even when drawn only semi-objectively a species’ identity was unmistakable so its name is given along with artist’s name for each of the fifty examples. The size of each shikishi is 245 x 275 mm, unless otherwise stated.

1   Blue-and-white flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana) by Asao Hayashi

2   Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) by Bungyo Nakatani

3   Narcissus flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina) by Hōshun Yamaguchi

4   Red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) by Taisei Satō

5   Japanese bush-warbler (Cettia diphone) by Shunpō Oguri

6   Japanese bush-warbler (Cettia diphone) by Hakurei Matsuura

7   Japanese bush-warbler (Cettia diphone) by Yuchiku Kosugi

8   Japanese bush-warbler (Cettia diphone) by Ōgetsu Yamamoto

9   Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) by Shunsui Fujita

10   Japanese white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) by Kōhō Shimada

11   Red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) by Tadanobu Tajima

12   Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) by Tōse Moriyama

13   Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) by Gyokushō Matsuhashi

14   Domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) by Yōki Shimizu

15   Red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) by Fuyohiko Yanagihara, 120 x 135 mm

16   Red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) by Isao Kawahara

17   Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) by Ryōhei Kimura

18   Domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) by Hirozō Murata

19   Great tit (Parus major) by Kōun Mutō

20   Red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) by Kazan Oshima

21   Red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) by Masayuki Ōno

22   Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) by   Keigetsu Sugiura

23   Great tit (Parus major) by Keiju Imai

24   Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) by Kōgetsu Koizumi

25   Japanese bush-warbler (Cettia diphone) by Hiroshi Kuboi

Artists:   1-25   26-50   or   Back to Exhibitions