Hanabusa Itchō (1652-1724) was a painter active mainly in Edo around the Genroku era (1688-1704). He originally studied with Kanō Yasunobu, a younger brother of Kanō Tan’yū, but, inspired by the work of Hishikawa Moronobu and Iwasa Matabei, moved away from the Kanō style to create distinctive genre paintings, vividly depicting the people of the city. In 1698, at the age of forty-seven, he was exiled to Miyakejima Island. The works he painted while in exile are called “Island Itchō” and particularly highly regarded. This exhibition, which commemorates the three hundredth anniversary of Itchō’s death, will explore, through his signature works, the artistic activities and fascinating personality of this remarkable artist.
*There will be an exhibition change during the course of exhibition.