Takashima Yujuro: Light and Darkness, Trajectory of the Soul

Name: Takashima Yujuro: Light and Darkness, Trajectory of the Soul
Brand: 髙島野十郎 / TAKASHIMA Yajuro
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The official exhibition catalog, "Takashima Yajuro: Light and Darkness, Trajectories of the Soul," was published to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the passing of Western-style painter Yajuro Takashima, who has recently seen a renewed appreciation as the "solitary painter" and "painter of candles."

Yajuro, who graduated at the top of his class from the Department of Agriculture at Tokyo Imperial University, abandoned a stable career to pursue painting independently. He never belonged to any art organization and dedicated his life to exploring realist painting that aligned with his ideals. This book features approximately 150 works, ranging from his early pieces to those from his time in Europe, landscapes painted during his travels across Japan, still lifes, and his representative series of "candles," "moon," and "sun." It systematically traces his serene and deeply spiritual artistic world.

It includes masterpieces such as "Rapeseed Flowers," "Peaches and Plums," and "Rain, Horyu-ji Pagoda," as well as still lifes depicting fruits and flowers, and works exhibited for the first time in Japan. In particular, his works depicting candle flames and moonlight emerging from darkness possess a prayer-like quality that transcends mere realism, strongly captivating viewers.

The catalog is divided into five chapters: "Early Works," "Period in Europe," "Landscapes," "Still Lifes," and "Light and Darkness." Through Yajuro's life and artistic career, the book illuminates his solitary spirit and his unique presence in the history of modern Western-style painting in Japan.

[Title] Yajuro Takashima: Light and Darkness, Trajectories of the Soul
[Publisher] Tokyo Bijutsu
[Publication Date] December 20, 2015 (First Edition, 1st Printing)
[Number of Pages] 240 pages
[Size] Approx. 185*257*21mm / 758g
[Format] Softcover
[Language] Japanese
[Title Reading] TAKASHIMA YAJURO HIKARI TO YAMI, TAMASHII NO KISEKI
[Author/Editor, etc.] Yajuro Takashima/Author, Masanobu Nishimoto/Editor and Text, Yuri Takayama/Editor and Text, Atsuo Yamada/Editor and Text, Kiyoshi Ejiri/Editor and Text
[Printing] Dainippon Printing/Printing and Binding
[ISBN] 9784808710484
[Condition] Used 【6】Good to Fair (Cover: minor light stain on spine, Obi: slight damage)
[Accessories] Obi
[Featured in] -
[Related Exhibitions] 2015 "40th Anniversary of His Death: Yajuro Takashima Exhibition" Fukuoka Prefectural Museum (Fukuoka)
2016 Meguro Museum of Art (Tokyo), Ashikaga Museum of Art (Tochigi), Kyushu Geibunkan (Fukuoka)

Yajuro Takashima (1890-1975)

Born in 1890 into a sake brewing family in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture. His given name was Yaju.
After graduating from the Eighth Higher School, he graduated at the top of his class from the Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo Imperial University, but chose the path of a painter. Influenced by Shigeru Aoki, he studied painting independently and maintained a solitary artistic pursuit throughout his life, never belonging to any art organization.

He traveled throughout Japan, painting landscapes and still lifes, and established his unique style of serene and spiritual realism, exemplified by works such as "Candle" and "Moon." Although largely unknown during his lifetime, his work began to be re-evaluated after being exhibited at the "Modern Western Painting and Fukuoka Prefecture" exhibition in 1980, and his first retrospective was held at the Fukuoka Prefectural Museum in 1986. His exceptional descriptive power and tense compositions are highly regarded as a unique presence in the history of modern Japanese Western painting. He passed away in 1975.