SieboldHuis – Japanmuseum

I'm visiting the SiebolHuis in Leiden, the Netherlands, today. This former home of Philipp Franz von Siebold was converted into a museum in 2005 dedicated to his life, his collection and to Japan. The topfloor is set up to display temporary exhibitions. Showing now an overview of the life and work of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi can be seen there. He is considered the last traditional Japanese print artist. It has been 20 years since there has been an exhibit in Europe which centers on this great master. Right now the first part of this well earned retrospective can be seen in Leiden. At the end of January 2012 the second part will be shown at the SieboldHuis. The Ed Freis Collection, Las Vegas, has made 130 works available for presentation. The kickoff of Yoshitoshi's worldtour is here in Leiden. And I'm about to see his masterpieces.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Fujiwara Yasumasa plays the flute by moonlight, 1882

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Yoshitoshi is seen as the last great print artist in Japan. He has painted for 34 years and left no less then 2300 prints when he died in 1892. When he was 11 years old he started his education as an apprentice with the famous artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861). The influence of his master can be seen in Yoshitoshi's early works and eventually he developed his own style. When he was 14 he published his first print, consisting of three tableaux (a triptych) displaying his interpretation of a historic event. During the rest of his life periods of silence alternated more productive periods. Especially at the end of his life Yoshitoshi was most creative and made several series including 100 aspects of the moon. The moon already was a recurring theme in his works. It is no coincidence that one of his most famous prints including a full moon is chosen to adorn the promotional flyer.


Another distinctive feature of Yoshitoshi's work are vertical diptychs he made at the end of his career. It was a very unusual choice to place the two tableaux vertically above instead of horizontally next to each other. You can still see Yoshitoshi's influence in the work of contemporary Japanese artists and he is considered one of the inspirations for present-day Japanese cartoons and animation, like manga.

The prints
Time to put the focus on the prints that are shown in the exhibition. They are really beautiful. The colors are just so bright, especially the fiery red en deep blue. You can imagine the impact such prints had on European artists in the 19th century. Japan was forced in the second half of the 19th century to open its borders for trade with the West. The products which got shipped overseas often were wrapped with these prints. That is how the European painters got exposed to them. When artists like Edgar Degas, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh first encountered such images, it completely blew them away. The style, the chosen motifs, the use of colour and outlining were so different of what they were used to. It changed their own style and vision. It made them realize there were still many rules which they obeyed unconsciously. At the same time it opened their eyes to new possibilities.

Even in the present when walking between Yoshitoshi's works it is easy to understand why the prints made such an impression. Not only the colors, but also the patterns and the chosen themes and subjects are refreshing and unlike anything familiar. It's just so wonderfully different from Western art. Even after impressionism, expressionism and all the other modern trends, the Japanse prints maintain the power to amaze even us modern-day visitors.

Yoshitoshi has painted historic battles, actors, geishas, nature scenes and spirits. Some prints tell the tales of a great warrior, others display famous ensembles in action on stage or represent a ghost story. And like said before, the moon is an important feature in Yoshitoshi's work.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Appearing smoky, 1888

The art of making prints
The room on the second floor shows more than the end result, the prints. Banners with texts and dates serve as source of information and functions as a timeline with the most important periods of Yoshitoshi's life. They provide the necessary background information and help to place the prints in the right (historic) context. Besides the prints several of the illustrations Yoshitoshi made for books are put on display. Rough sketches and first drawings illustrate the process of designing. At the far corner of the room a television set plays a video about how the end product, the print, is made. It is a most informative documentary. The video provides an excellent account of the several steps in the making of prints. Woodcutters, printers and painters are interviewed and filmed during their precise work. It takes a great dose of concentration and patience, but once the work is done it's relatively easy to reproduce a print and make copies.

Siebold
The rest of the building displays the collection of Phillip von Siebold who lived in the house from 1832 till 1845. He is more famous in Japan then in the Netherlands, because he brought Western medicine and knowledge with him when he went to live and work in Japan. For 6 years he worked as a doctor at the Dutch trading post Deshima. He went there in 1823 and developed a deep affection for the country. He collected over 25.000 artifacts in those 6 years. Quite an achievement I would say.
And a wonderful collection it is. On the ground and first floor several rooms contain parts of his collection, such as beautiful old maps, ordinary objects like toys, clothes, jewelry and musical instruments, but also exotic flora and fauna, like stuffed animals, reptiles on spirit and drawings of plants. It really is a magnificent collection this extraordinary man has assembled.  

Part two
At the end of January the second part of the exhibit starts, which can be seen until March. For now the coming Christmas break will make an excellent opportunity to visit Leiden and the SieboldHuis. Leiden is a nice city with pretty canals and cute little streets. The SieboldHuis is near the train station and the city center. Go and see Yoshitoshi's work for yourself, it will form an excellent part of a day trip to Leiden.

http://www.sieboldhuis.org/