Ōta Ryūichi (1915–1994)
Dusk
Japan, 1955
Two-panel screen; ink and color on paper
Gift of Terry Welch, 2021 (2021-03-092a)
VIEW HI-RES IMAGE
The two screens by Ryūichi in this exhibition, Dusk and Calm, appear to be a pair at first glance, but they were made separately. Dusk was selected for the annual national exhibition in 1955, and Calm was selected in 1956. It was not unusual for artists to submit similar subjects in different years.
Dusk presents a close view of a hill covered in autumn foliage, behind which mostly obscured yellow fields stretch to green terraced hills in the distance, only the lower edges of which are visible. The overwhelming emphasis on the foreground hill, with the midground and background only barely visible, violates normal expectations of compositional balance, creating tension. The dark colors, reminiscent of the European academic tradition, augment this tension, infusing the otherwise innocuous theme with unexpected complexity.
Further listening
Dusk presents a close view of a hill covered in autumn foliage, behind which mostly obscured yellow fields stretch to green terraced hills in the distance, only the lower edges of which are visible. The overwhelming emphasis on the foreground hill, with the middle ground and background only barely visible, violates normal expectations of traditional balance in Japanese art, creating instead a compositional tension characteristic of modern innovations.