Komura Settai (1887-1940) should be called more than just a “painter.” During the Taishō period to the early Shōwa period when mass culture flourished, he breathed a new life into various genres of arts and fascinated many people. Today there is a growing the movement to revalue his works.
This exhibition comprehensively introduces Settei’s book designs, book illustrations and theatrical arts which embody the modernity of Tokyo based on the chic and stylish taste of Edo, including his precious original paintings and prints. From the ukiyoe prints of Suzuki Harunobu to the various craftworks from the Meiji period such as cloisonné works by Namikawa Yasuyuki, this exhibition displays the linage from Edo’s chic to Tokyo’s modernism, alongside the works of contemporary artists who have inherited the essence of those masterpieces.
Please enjoy the world of refined and sophisticated beauty which should be called “Settai style.”