>> Katherine Blood:
Welcome, everyone,
to our final object lesson,
celebrating the 110th
anniversary of the gift
of cherry blossom trees from
the city of Tokyo to Washington,
D.C. Our program is hosted
by the Library's Prints
and Photographs Division.
And we'll be exploring
seasonal appreciations
in Japanese visual art.
I'm Katherine Blood, a
curator in the Library's Prints
and Photographs Division.
And I'm here with my
dear curator colleague
and friend, Mari Nakahara.
Over the years, I've had the
pleasure and honor of being kind
of her aide-de-camp and partner
in promoting the Library's
Cherry Blossom Collections.
Mari led our two
previous object lessons.
The first, looking at different
cherry blossom varieties,
featuring these exquisite
botanical watercolor drawings
by Kokichi Tsunoi.
It was Mari's deep
study of these drawings,
beginning over a decade ago,
that set us on a sustained path
of celebrating, sharing
and growing our Cherry
Blossom Collections,
which continues to this day.
Next, Mari spoke about former
Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi
Saito, who played an
important role in the U.S.
/Japan friendship
during the 1930s.
Mari was joined by Saito's
granddaughter, Tomiko Kagei,
who also spoke beautifully
about her family history
and her grandfather's life
and dedication to peace.
All three talks are
being recorded.
So, if you missed
the earlier ones,
or would like to revisit them,
they should soon be available
for viewing and listening
online.
Before we dive in, we would like
to issue a standing invitation
to you all to either visit us
in person or online or both.
And, here, you see the Library
of Congress Capitol Hill Campus,
where we have three main
buildings housing multiple
research centers, including the
Prints and Photographs Division
in the Madison Building,
indicated by the red arrow.
On the right is a picture
of our Reading Room.
And you can easily reserve
a research appointment
through our Ask a
Librarian service.
Mari will drop a
link in the chat.
So, our works are woven
all throughout the
Library's collections.
And in the Prints and
Photographs Division alone,
where we provide access to
about 17 million images,
you can find photographs,
fine art and popular prints
and drawings, posters,
architectural
and engineering drawings,
comic art and more.
On screen are just a handful of
the multiformat items that come
up when you type the search
phrase "cherry blossom."
So, you can see editorial
cartoons, and design drawings,
posters, documentary
photographs, Japanese prints.
And this is just a little taste.
Mari and I have had chances
to share the Library's Cherry
Blossom Collections in a number
of ways, including a 2012
exhibition and a recent book.
And Mari will share
links for both.
Our Object Lesson Series
explores some key themes
from the book and exhibition.
In this, our final object lesson
in this series, we'll be looking
at a selection of images that
reflect and celebrate aspects
of the four seasons,
especially from our collection
of Japanese woodblock
prints, mostly examples
from the 19th century,
and also more modern
and contemporary works,
including some very
recent acquisitions.
At the end of the program,
we will try to answer
any questions.
And we just would ask
you to please add them
to the Q&A instead of the chat.
That helps us to easily
find them at the end.
This presentation
is being recorded.
And that will include
our Q&A discussion.
Now we have something
really special for you.
When I asked Mari if she
might be willing to share some
of her personal perspective
about the importance
of seasonal celebrations
in Japanese culture,
not only did she say yes, but
she also shared these wonderful
and also adorable personal
family photographs.
Mari, please tell
us about these.
>> Mari Nakahara: Hi, everyone.
My name is Mari.
Yes, Katherine and I have been
working together, as you see.
And then judging from my strong
accent, I grew up in Japan
and moved to the United
States about 22 years ago.
So, when I grew up, that I went
through all of the experiences.
The top left black and
white picture is nothing
to do with a season.
It's more like slightly veering
from the seasonal celebration.
We, also, have kind of an
age-related celebration, like,
you know, bar mitzvah
at 13 years for Jewish.
So, this picture was seven --
I was seven years old,
celebrating girls.
And, you know, we
celebrate three years old
and seven years old
for the girls,
and five years old for the boys.
So, my mom put some costume and,
you know, just took a photo.
The rest of the pictures are
kind of from my little age
to grown up, until the
adult, how my family --
together with my family or
together with my colleague
or together with my classmates,
how I enjoyed cherry
blossom viewing.
Which Katherine will
be talking about.
Middle two with my sister
and my father or my mom
at the Imperial Palace moat.
And, somehow, cherry
blossoms are really good along
with the [inaudible].
And you can see the bottom
one, with the kind of bridge,
but underneath there
is a water [inaudible].
And the kimono picture on
the left bottom is also
with the forsythia,
it is springish.
And on the right side is when I
was a graduate school student.
And I am, actually,
second from the left.
But the next guy is jumping
around, hopping around.
That's kind of the really
exciting moment every spring.
And then we always
have a song like --
[ Singing in Japanese ]
So, we truly enjoy that.
Thank you, Katherine.
>> Katherine Blood:
Oh, thank you so much.
I think the picture on the
right looks like your --
you know, your music
band cover photo.
It's very cool.
I love it.
And, now, let's get to
some collection examples.
This charming woodblock print
by Shigemasa shows an
18th century Hanami scene.
And this is one of our
mutual personal favorites.
We are seeing a Hanami,
or flower-viewing party.
And the place is Asukayama Park.
Which was first opened
by Japan's shogun
Tokugawa Yoshimune.
And it was he who had about
1,000 cherry trees planted there
in 1720, along with Azalea,
maple and other trees as well.
There's a little haiku poem
in grassy script, which reads,
"All flocked together, Blossoms
upon blossoms, Asuka Hill."
The blossoms in this poem also
refer to the lovely people.
And we see them enjoying
the delights
of flower viewing while
eating delicious treats,
and most likely drinking
warm sake.
They're sitting on
a ground cover,
and sheltering behind
a windscreen,
we know the weather
can be a little chilly
and windy this time of year,
which can also create
a little privacy.
Shigemasa was known
for his bijinga,
or pictures of beautiful women.
Like many of the
artworks we'll be showing,
this woodblock print comes
from the Library's extensive
collection of ukiyo-e,
translated as pictures of the
floating or sorrowful world.
This Japanese art form
flourished during the
Edo period.
And that's roughly
between 1603 and 1868.
Many ukiyo-e images celebrated
the beauties and pleasures
of contemporary life in
the city of Edo, now Tokyo,
and other places
like Kyoto and Osaka.
The images on the
screen were all featured
in the Library's Ukiyo-e
Floating World Exhibition.
Which is also available
online using the link which is
on screen and in the chat.
They depicted kabuki
actors, like the ones on --
the one on the far
left; samurai warriors,
and this is the renowned
swordsman Miyamoto Musashi;
beautiful women.
And, here, we see the famously
beautiful poet Ono no Komachi.
Also, sumo wrestlers and
landscapes, themes from nature,
as we'll see in abundance.
Ukiyo-e artists also referenced
classical and courtly themes,
poetry and literature.
At the right is a scene
referencing a chapter
from the 11th century
Tale of Genji.
Also, historical figures,
as well as celebrating all
that was fashionable and
of the moment and more.
These are woodblock prints.
And think of this while you're
looking, every color was carried
by a different block, each inked
and printed carefully
in registered layers.
We'll be talking more
about technique later.
The sorrowful connotation
of ukiyo-e can relate
to Buddhist spiritual
ideas of impermanence
that these were fleeting
pleasures.
And, so, the beautiful brief
blooming cherry blossoms were a
perfect and popular subject.
We can compare Shigemasa's
intimate party, on the right,
with this bird's-eye view
showing multiple party groups
by renowned ukiyo-e
artist Utagawa Hiroshige.
And this is at the
same site, Asukayama,
looking out across rice
paddies towards Mount Tsukuba.
Mari and I have marveled
that all though this is
such a different time
period, the essential spirit
of these Hanami outings
isn't too different
from what still happens today.
Mari, can you tell us about
your own experiences, please?
>> Mari Nakahara: Yes.
As I mentioned, that I moved
to the U.S. 22 years ago.
And I moved to Washington,
actually, in 2003.
So, people started saying,
"Let's go to the Tidal Basin.
Let's do the Hanami
[inaudible]."
And I was excited.
"So, what should we bring?"
You know? And then
we were like, "What?"
And I was like, "Well, a
bento box, a lunch box?
Or any drinks?
Sake?" "And, Mari, we are
not allowed to drink outside.
We are not celebrating.
We are not able to do that."
You can tell that
I came from Japan.
And always Hanami is like
on the right-side picture.
I mean, ukiyo-e [inaudible],
spreading a mat, and then always
like one of the colleagues,
a student, go there,
like at 2:00 p.m. or so,
and waiting until 8:00 p.m.,
six hours, you know, spreading
a blanket or a blue sheet.
And then just get all
the food, all the sake,
all the alcohol, everything.
And after work, we
gather and sit down,
enjoy the cherry blossoms,
drink, sing, dance.
So, that's Hanami for me.
But, here, it's different.
And that's my experience.
>> Katherine Blood: Mari,
do you think we can get
something started here?
Or do you think we'll
get arrested?
What do you -- should
we try it [inaudible]?
>> Mari Nakahara: Oh,
honestly, my Japanese friend
and some Americans
did do the eating.
Eating seems okay.
>> Katherine Blood: Yeah.
>> Mari Nakahara: But
alcohol is not okay.
So, as far as we do not disturb
other people, the small group,
and do not sing or dance, just,
you know, silently eating,
that seems to be okay.
I did it a couple times
at the Tidal Basin.
>> Katherine Blood:
Well, I want to --
my interest is in
the dancing parts.
So, that's a good -- that leads
us here to this Hanami scene.
And this is along
the Sumida River.
And this one has dancing
and musical accompaniment.
So, let's see if this works.
There's a -- can you see this,
Mari, my little light here?
>> Mari Nakahara: Yes, I can.
>> Katherine Blood: Okay.
So, here is a man playing a
stringed instrument called
a shamisen.
And then on the right here,
this lady is reaching
back toward a man,
who is offering her
some refreshment.
Probably also sake.
And this waterside view,
for Washingtonians,
may call to mind our
much-loved Tidal Basin cherries.
And as Mari said earlier,
waterside views have the benefit
of amplifying the beauty of
the blossoms and sky, and,
in this case, the Washington
Monument reflected in water.
Here are contemporary
photographs by Carol Highsmith
and Leah Jones, and a
vintage view from the 1940s
by photographer Martha
McMillan Roberts.
So, Jones and Roberts both show
the still ongoing tradition
of taking family portraits
among the blossoms.
These wonderful photographs,
to my eyes, all skirt the line
between art and photo
documentation.
And for decades, Carol Highsmith
has documented American places
and people, and given
her photos, rights free,
to the Library's collections, so
that all of you can enjoy them.
We can enjoy them.
Leah Jones was a newspaper
photographer before joining the
staff of the National Museum
of African American
History and Culture.
Roberts' photo comes
from our Farm Security,
FSA-OWI Collection.
Now, Hanami was first associated
with the earlier blooming ume,
or plum blossoms, before
becoming really strongly linked,
almost exclusively, with the
appreciation of cherry blossoms.
Both times I had the chance
to visit Japan, the timing was
such that I had to leave just
before the cherry blossoms
emerged, right before.
But don't feel too bad,
because I had the great joy
of visiting during the gorgeous
ume, plum blossom, season.
So, here, we have views,
again by Hiroshige.
On the left is a close-up
glimpse of a branch
of flowering ume, seen
through a high window,
looking toward the Sumida River.
And on the right
is a triptych view
of the plum garden at Kameido.
Landscape images like these are
part of a genre called meisho-e,
or pictures of famous places.
And this is significant
for our discussion,
because in Japanese art,
culture and literature,
the four seasons are
deeply, regularly linked
with famous places,
annual festivals,
and the thoughtful
appreciation of nature.
Hiroshige was one of
the masters of meisho-e.
And you'll be seeing
a lot of him
in our program here,
you already have.
Before we move on
from cherry blossoms,
Odake's woodblock print on the
right combines a Hanami scene
at Mukojima, with a portrait
of a girl, a young woman,
who is holding an
emperor doll associated
with the Annual March 3rd
Hinamatsuri Doll Festival,
or Girls' Day Festival, to
celebrate and offer good wishes
for girls' health and happiness.
I have included a picture
of my own daughter's
Hinamatsuri dolls.
Which were a gift from another
dear colleague and friend.
You can see the similarity, I
hope, between the emperor doll
that the young girl holds
in the lower right corner,
and the doll in my
daughter's set.
These sets can be very
exquisite and elaborate.
And Mari has shared a photograph
of her own Hinamatsuri dolls,
and some of her artworks
when she was little.
Oh, my goodness, Mari,
how old are you here?
>> Mari Nakahara: I
was probably three.
>> Katherine Blood: So cute.
>> Mari Nakahara: So, I can --
everybody can use me as a scale
of this Hinamatsuri
you know, doll.
It's seven steps.
And it's huge.
And a different version of
the -- we call it Odairi-sama.
That means the prince.
And then Ohina-sama
means the princess.
And then all of our holidays are
kind of associated with songs.
So, we have a song for that.
Like --
[ Singing in Japanese ]
So, you [inaudible],
Odairi-sama, Ohina-sama.
So, this is a song
for the Hinamatsuri.
And it's March 3rd.
And May 5th, it's actually
my birthday, it's most likely
for the boys originally.
But we call it Children's Day.
And on the right side, you
see carps that on a pole,
and the top one is the dad
and the second one is the mom.
And then we have three others
underneath, the actual children.
So, while we are
in kindergarten,
we celebrate these
seasonal, you know, things.
And we, actually, use
the origami papers
and fold something,
and make art like this.
This is my album for
the kindergarten days.
>> Katherine Blood:
These are treasures.
These are absolute treasures.
Thank you again for
sharing them.
And that's a perfect segue
to Girls' Day, of course,
is on March 3rd, we just said.
And now moving to summer, Boys'
Day, also called Children's Day,
also Mari's birthday,
on May 5th.
Hiroshige's 1857
[inaudible] is dominated
by a koinobori streamer
in the foreground.
And this is looking out over the
Samurai District of Surudadai,
with Mount Fuji in the distance.
These carp-shaped streamers
represent a wish for boys
and children to grow up with
strength and determination,
like the carps who can
swim powerfully upstream
against the current.
Another really fascinating
detail here are the banners
showing Shoki, these vertical
banners in the center.
I've pulled a detail from sort
of the center of the image
on the right, so that you can
see this is the Chinese queller
of demons and disease, a
powerful guardian spirit.
And these types of banners
were traditionally hung
by samurai family
celebrating Boys' Day.
In the lower right corner,
and the detail is pulled out
and sort of expanded
on the right,
you can glimpse a boy carrying
a larger-than-life samurai
warrior helmet.
And, so, these are all clues
to the festival underway.
The idea of including girls
and all children was
introduced later,
around the mid-20th century.
Another treasured and much
depicted summer pastime,
of course, firefly catching.
In Shunsen, seen on
the left, a little boy
and women are using long-handled
fans to draw the insects down,
where they can be
collected in firefly cages,
which the two women on
the right are holding.
Let's see if I can show you.
Here and here.
And, also, here, Shinsui's
modern jazz age beauty,
she's wearing a stylish
Marcel Wave, is also equipped
with the fan and the firefly
cage, with her eyes trained
on what may become
her next conquest.
I really like this
choice, this punctuation
of this single free firefly.
It just changes everything,
and adds so much
to make this a really
narrative image.
You know what's going
to happen next?
Is she going to catch
the fireflies, I suspect?
Did she release it?
Is she just looking, admiring?
I think it's a clever and
beautiful focal point.
The Ryogoku Bridge
and pleasure boats
on the Sumida River were prime
viewing spots for fireworks,
and also cooling off
in the hot weather.
Beginning in the
18th century, again,
initiated by the shogun
Tokugawa Yoshi Mooney,
there were annual
fireworks displays as part
of the river opening
celebration, on the 28th day
of the fifth lunar
month, so May.
And the celebration
called Kawabiraki was part
of a purification right
to drive off evil spirits.
And there would be numerous
fireworks displays throughout
the season.
Kunisada's triptych is
brimming with festival spirit.
We can see that food is
being prepared and delivered
from a floating stall in the
center image, while ladies
on the right are playing music
on stringed instruments,
likely shamisen.
And just look at
the throng of people
on the bridge on the left.
One of our colleagues said
that this reminded him a
bit of Mardi Gras crowds.
Which is something I'm going
to have to take his word for,
because that's still
in my future.
I haven't experienced that yet.
In terms of artistry and
technique, let me point
out the beautiful
signature of the woodgrain,
in the top center
panel especially.
I mean, you can really see
that this is printed
from a woodblock.
And the woodgrain can
also suggest texture
that might indicate -- you know,
it feels like smoke
perhaps in the sky.
The Tanabata Star Festival
celebrates the legend
of celestial deities,
Orihime and Hikoboshi,
represented by the stars Vega,
the weaver star, and Altair,
the cow herder star,
respectively.
These lovers are
celebrated by the Milky Way.
And they're only allowed
to meet once a year
on the seventh day
of the seventh month.
On that day, a flock of
magpies spread their wings
to make a bridge so
they can reunite.
Seattle artist, illustrator
and muralist Michelle Kumata
includes many of these features
in her beautiful
contemporary artwork.
At the top, there's a cluster
of colored paper
strips called tanzaku.
The custom is to write
wishes on the tanzaku strips,
and hang them from
bamboo branches.
Can you spot the bamboo
pattern in Michelle's image?
There are lots of Tanabata trees
in Hiroshige's matsuri image
on the right, along with a
flurry of other ornaments.
And if you're interested,
we encourage you to go look
at this print in
our online catalog,
and pull up the high-resolution
scans
to look more closely
at the ornaments.
A calabash and sake bowl
at the top left, an abacus
and ledger books
sort of center left.
And right in front of
Mount Fuji is a cashbox,
so wishes for pleasure and
good fortune of various kinds.
Mari has likely already
dropped the link in the chat,
for those who would like
to access that image file,
and do some close-up exploring.
And one more fun fact.
Some art historians
thinks this may be a view
from Hiroshige's
own home in Edo.
Hiroshige was of
samurai heritage.
He was the son of an official
in the fire department.
So, the clue here is a fire
watch tower in the distance.
So, when you look at
the high-res file,
you'll be able to see better.
So, the idea is that this could
be the fire brigade's living
area in Yayosu District,
where Hiroshige lived.
And I'm sure you spotted
the bamboo patterns
on the woman's red clothing in
Michelle's image on the left.
And here is the Tanabata tree
Mari brought to our Anime
For All celebration at the
Library a few years back,
where we invited
visitors to write
and hang their own
tanzaku wishes on the tree.
We brought a little facsimile
of Hiroshige's print,
which you can see on the left.
And that's me with the
real thing on the right.
You can, also, glance
a little bit --
it's a little glary,
it's under plastic.
But that is Jamie Noguchi's Fox
Spirit, kitsune, screen print
from our Small Press
Expo Collection.
By the way, there will be
a virtual program in June,
I believe, focusing on fan art
in the Small Press
Expo Collection.
We'll tell you a bit later
how to stay tuned for that,
and other future programs.
Now, next is one of
my favorite prints
in the Library's
entire collection.
And that is saying
something, because we have more
than 60,000 artists' fine prints
from the 15th century forward.
This is one of my
many favorites.
It's a view of Otsuki Plain on
Honshu Island in Kai Province,
or present-day Yamanashi
Prefecture.
It's in a place known as
the Fuji Five Lakes region.
We're showing it
to you here both
because it is utterly beautiful,
and it features a variety
of plants traditionally known
as the seven herbs of autumn.
As with many of the flowers
and plants we've been seeing,
they were a popular poetic
subject, and mentioned
in the 8th century Manyoshu
Anthology of Japanese Poetry.
The seven autumn plants included
things like pampas grass
or susuki, yellow patrinia,
ominaeshi, bellflowers or Kikyo,
wild carnations,
tokonatsu, to name a few.
We're invited into the landscape
by this little zigzagging
meandering stream,
leading to Mount
Fuji in the distance.
And just very subtly,
above the mountain,
we see an echoing
meander of geese,
another sign of the season.
I promised a further
word about technique.
And it's a bit mind bending.
I live with these prints.
I look at them all the time.
And it just is kind of jaw
dropping to me to realize
that every color was carried
by a different woodblock,
with each being inked and
printed in registered layers.
Ukiyo-e woodblock prints
involved creative teams.
Instead of a sort of, you know,
solo genius, there was a quartet
of creators who had
different roles,
all genius I think, in my view.
There was an artist designer,
and then a woodblock carver,
a printer, and a
publisher seller
who sold multiple
impressions of each image.
So, you can get a sense
of this multiblock,
multicolor technique.
It was called nishiki-e
or brocade pictures.
By looking at this woodblock
book by Watanabe Shozaburo,
published by Shozaburo,
Watanabe,
and it's called The Process
of Color-Block Printing.
Which recreates Hiroshige's
Otsuki Fields
in a smaller scale.
And it shows each
color-block in sequence,
leading to the full-color print.
We're only showing you
seven of the full 25 prints
on this slide, just so you
can get a little bit more
of the detail.
Watanabe was an important
publisher
of shin hanga, or new prints.
And like Shinsui's
beautiful firefly catcher
that we saw earlier, that's
an example of shin hanga,
these progressive proofs are
Watanabe's answer to the idea
that these are reproductive
prints,
rather than astonishing
original artworks
or multiple originals,
if you will.
Here, we have a variety
of [inaudible] celebrations
including moon viewing,
called tsukimi.
This is a view at
Ishiyama Temple
from Hiroshige's
Eight Views of Omi.
In the center is a kind
of celebrity portrait
of three actors.
And we know their names.
This is all in the
catalog record.
But they include Matsumoto
Koshiro V, Bando Mitsugoro III,
and Iwai Hanshiro V. Then in
Yoshitoshi's dynamic print
on the right, those bright
swirling maple leaves really
enhanced the drama of the image,
showing a beautiful woman.
It's a bit of a complex story.
She's revealed to be a demon
in the missing lower half.
But we wanted to show you here
how Yoshitoshi uses the leaves
to masterful effect in
sort of suggesting turmoil
and wind and movement.
And now is Mari's
kindergarten album.
Please tell us about
these pages.
Mari?
>> Mari Nakahara:
Okay, I'm back again.
So, my album actually
follows the academic year,
which brings -- starts
April 1 and ends March 31.
So, that Hinamatsuri thing
towards actually the end
of the things, but this is fall.
And as a kindergarten student,
we picked up the very beautiful,
you know, red and yellow autumn
forages and do some work.
Sometimes that I don't
remember exactly what kind
of liquid it was, but
probably the acid.
And then put the
leaves in there.
And then the vein remains.
And we actually die with
the multiple colors.
But this one is put the leaves
on this album, and use the kind
of very, you know,
kindergarten, so screen
or sometimes tea strainer.
And use the watercolors, and
then splash onto the paper.
And then remove the leaves.
So, it's just like, you
know, a little bit of fun.
And put the pictures on it.
>> Katherine Blood: So, lovely.
You make me want to try it.
Although it sounds a little
bit -- it doesn't sound easy.
And it's so lovely.
Thank you.
Next are two classic
winter snow scenes.
On the left, a view of
travelers making their way
over a stone bridge called
Taiko, or Drum Bridge,
for its distinctive shape.
And on the right, the famous
Kinryuzan Bridge at Asakusa,
dedicated to the
Bodhisattva Kannon.
And one of the really striking
things here is how Hiroshige
pulls our focus back to
literally put us in the frame
of the green and red Thunder
Gate, which you glimpse
on the left, with the large
paper lantern suspended above.
And then draws our gaze
outward to the distance.
Putting these prints side
by side made me notice
the rhythmic similarity
in the compositions between the
curve of the sky and lantern,
and strong features sort
of anchoring the left edge,
low horizontal placement
of the bridge and walkway.
And these both come
from Hiroshige's Series One
Hundred Famous Views of Edo.
This triptych, another personal
favorite, is a joint work
by Kunisada, who made the
figures, and Hiroshige,
who unmistakably
created the landscape.
And there's so much
to appreciate here.
The literary title refers
to Lady Murasaki's 11th-century
novel "The Tale of Genji."
And as beautiful as
this is on a screen,
it's remarkable in person.
For example -- let me grab
my little light again.
There's very fine
detailed embossing
on the clothing here and here.
Which you can really only
appreciate when you're standing
in front of the artwork, or to
some degree by looking closely
at the online higher-resolution
files.
You can see it there on
line two a little bit.
But you really have to be in
person to fully understand.
I love that there is summer
bamboo on the man's clothing,
and then snow-covered
winter bamboo behind him.
There are delicate
shadows on the ground
and sort of in the sky here.
And some of the snow, you
can really see it here,
has been spatter applied, sort
of a Jackson Pollock technique.
So, it's just really exquisite.
And we're going to conclude
by showing you a few
wonderful recent acquisitions
by American artists engaged
in various ways with Japanese
and Japanese-American
aesthetics, culture and history.
I'll ask you to keep your eyes
on this curving tree trunk here.
Keep your eyes on
that for a second.
And here you see it again.
An illustrator and cartoonist
Bill Mudron's inkjet print
called Vastra & Jenny.
He keeps Hiroshige's landscape,
but he changes the protagonists
to characters from the BBC
sci-fi television series,
Doctor Who.
I'm a fan, if you can't tell.
They are having a swashbuckling
samurai sword fight,
with cyborg villains
called Cybermen.
You regularly see
references to ukiyo-e
and contemporary artworks
of many different flavors,
famously including anime.
And we really couldn't
resist this wonderful
hybrid composition.
We, also, recently acquired
multiple artworks by all
of the artists on
screen starting
with Jennifer Mack-Watkins
on the left.
After lecturing
at the International
Mokuhanga Conference
at the Tokyo University of the
Arts, Jennifer was an artist
in residence at Mokuhanga
Innovation Laboratory
in Yamanashi, Japan in 2015, the
year this woodblock was made.
Mokuhanga is the Japanese
word for woodblock print.
And you can see how she has
beautifully combined traditional
and contemporary technique and
subject matter in The Letter.
We saw Michelle Kumata's
Tanabata artwork earlier.
This is a portrait of Richard
Yamasaki also by Michelle.
It's from a series celebrating
the Seattle Japanese Garden
and local Nikkei
community of 1960,
the year the garden
officially opened to the public.
Nikkei is a word generally used
to describe Japanese immigrants
and their descendants
living outside of Japan.
Mr. Yamasaki was part of
the Japanese-American team
who helped install the garden.
When he retired, he made a gift
of a century-old black
pine tree to the garden.
If you're interested, if
you just search for his --
do a web search for his name and
black pine, it comes right up.
It's very beautiful.
It had been cared for
by his father, himself
and his brothers, and survived
the family's incarceration
during World War II.
Michelle says that the
pine represents endurance,
adaptability, and
a bright future.
And that the monarch
butterfly represents rebirth
and transformation.
We were, also, fortunate to
acquire a group of artworks
by Okayama-born California
artist Chiura Obata.
In his March 1931
cover illustration
for Japan Overseas
Travel Magazine,
you can see he placed us as
the viewer, sort of flying
above the branches of
a weeping cherry tree.
Obata was an influential
longtime art professor
at UC Berkeley, known for
his exquisite watercolor
and woodblock views
of the American West.
The Library has a great example,
a Yosemite Nocturnal View.
During his own incarceration
during World War II,
he created art schools, first
at Tanforan in San Bruno,
California, and then
at Topaz in Utah.
We'll come full circle to linger
under the cherry
blossoms a moment longer.
This time with examples
from our wider collection
of National Cherry
Blossom Festival posters
by artists Thomas
Burns and Matt Long.
And one of the joys of working
with this poster collection is
seeing all the ingenious ways
that artists have
approached recurring icons
of Washington D.C.'s
beloved cherry blossoms,
like the Jefferson Memorial and
the Washington Monument obelisk.
So, Mari and I would like
to invite you, those of you
that can make it,
to join us tomorrow
for a Japanese Culture
Day Celebration.
Mari, would you like to
tell everyone about some
of the activities and
performances we'll have on tap?
>> Mari Nakahara: Sure.
I just finished the
setup this afternoon.
And this is a venue
on the corridor upstairs
mezzanine level in our picture.
And we have two big
events -- I mean programs.
One of them is a Japanese large
taiko drum team group is coming
to perform outside
of the Library.
If it rains, maybe
inside Coolidge.
But they will do that outside.
And the other one is a
karate demonstration.
You may remember 2020,
and postponed to 2021,
Japan has the Olympics.
And karate was one of the
national competition sports.
So, the same teacher
showing here is coming.
And the drum is much
larger rather
than you are seeing
there in the picture.
And origami activities,
storytelling,
Japanese storytelling,
Koinobori coloring,
other ukiyo-e coloring, and
some language specialists,
an English specialist who will
write the Japanese for you,
the Tanabata ornament things.
And then, most importantly,
our chief and the counseling,
and everybody else
who are familiar
with the woodblock prints.
We'll be showing
the reproduction
of our own collection,
and talk about it on site.
And we will do more
introductions
for the accessibility and
how to access our collection,
if you are able to come to
the Library, or remotely.
So, tomorrow morning,
Katherine may tell you again,
but as of now that
because of the COVID,
we require the free
ticket, but you have
to go to the loc.gov/visit.
You need the ticket,
but it run out --
I mean sold out as of now.
But, remember, 9:00
a.m. tomorrow morning,
additional tickets
will become available.
So, if you wish to
come, just, you know,
hop on it, loc.gov/visit.
And come to visit
us, 10:00 3:00.
>> Katherine Blood:
We hope to see you.
I'm very -- we're so excited.
And we hope to see you.
And with that, we would
like to offer thanks to all
of the artists who
kindly allowed us
to share their work
here, to our colleagues
in the Library's Asian Division,
where you can find
the largest collection
of Japanese books
outside of Japan,
as well as robust
online offerings.
We, also, offer thanks
to the many scholars
who have generously shared their
knowledge with us over the years
to shine light on
our collections.
And I want to say that
this is a partial list.
We know not everyone is here.
And let me quickly take
the opportunity to say
that we mentioned our Sakura
Friendship Exhibition.
On our website in the
Learn More section
and in the general
website, are wonderful talks
by Cherry Blossom Festival
expert Anne McClelland,
a wonderful talk by Anne.
And, also, by Emiko
Ohnuki-Tierney.
So, there are so many cherry
blossom related resources
on our website, including those.
We'll offer some key links for
our Ask a Librarian service,
both for Prints and Photos
and our Asian Division.
You can explore over 2,500
Edo and Meiji period prints
in our online catalog, as
well as works by modern
and contemporary
Japanese artists.
And here is a link
to the brand-new Japanese
Collection Research Guide
from our colleagues Elichi
Ito and Cameron Penwell
in the Asian Division.
And they've also linked
to our ukiyo-e prints.
Thank you so much
for joining us.
And we're happy to try and
answer questions you may have.
But, first, some
quick housekeeping.
When you click on the red Leave
button, a survey should pop up.
And what's nice about it,
it offers you an opportunity
to let us know what you might
like to see offered
in future programs.
So, we're grateful if
you might take a minute
to take the short survey.
We will, also, add the link for
our Tours and Orientations page,
which is regularly updated.
It's always changing.
We mentioned our SPX Small Press
Expo Program planned for June.
Our next webinar at
noon on April 12th,
in honor of Deaf History Month,
will showcase collection images
of deaf people, notable
figures, education,
careers, activities and more.
So, now, if you have
any questions,
please let us know
using the Q&A section.
And our colleague
Aliza Leventhal is here
with us tonight.
And she can help us look
out for your questions.
Aliza, do you see any?
>> Aliza Leventhal:
We certainly do.
And I'll just make a note at the
beginning, you're getting lots
of thank you's and
appreciations and admiration
for these beautiful images
you've shared tonight.
So, thank you very
much, Katherine.
It's been a wonderful
presentation so far.
>> Katherine Blood:
Oh, thank you.
It's our secret weapon,
this collection, isn't it?
>> Aliza Leventhal: Yeah.
>> Katherine Blood:
It's hard not to love.
It's hard to go wrong.
>> Aliza Leventhal: Absolutely.
So, the first question is, "If
I visit the Library of Congress,
how can I see these
ukiyo-e in person?
If so, can we take
pictures of them?
>> Katherine Blood: Yes and yes.
So, the Ask a Librarian link
that we've given is
probably the best way
to maybe set up an appointment.
These are a little --
they're a little bit delicate
and light fugitive,
so it's helpful
if you can make an appointment,
and let us know what
you'd like to see.
We do have -- I should
go -- I should mention,
everything is accessible,
freely accessible, open.
But we do have a kind
of preservation policy,
where we ask if you can first
look at the scans, and just sort
of narrow your search down
to the things that you'd
like to see in person
especially.
And we go from there.
And, absolutely, you
can take pictures.
Just a handheld camera,
no tripod.
But, yeah, these
belong to you, actually.
They're yours.
Come see them.
Please do.
>> Aliza Leventhal: Great.
Absolutely.
The next question is
kind of a good follow up.
"Is there a way to see all
of the ukiyo-e prints shown
in these slides online?
Is there a link that
goes to all of them?
And what would that be?
>> Katherine Blood: Yes.
So, when you go to -- first of
all, this is being recorded.
And we think it's going to be up
fairly quickly on our website.
So, all of them will
be available as part
of the recording
of this program.
But, also, on our website, if
you go to loc.gov/pictures,
you'll find -- scroll
down a little bit,
and you'll find a link
for our Japanese --
our pre-1915 Japanese prints.
It's actually on the
screen, isn't it?
And if you go there, it
will lead you to everything
that you saw tonight,
and much more.
We have over 2,500.
So, I hope that answers
your question.
They are all online.
And there are high-resolution
scans for all of them.
There are a few things, Edo
Period things which have --
haven't yet been scanned.
But they're in the minority.
The lion's share is online
and freely available.
>> Aliza Leventhal:
Thanks, Katherine.
The next question is,
"What are the dimensions
of the Utagawa Kunisada and the
Utagawa Hiroshige's Modern Genji
Viewing in Snow?
It's gorgeous."
>> Katherine Blood: Oh, okay.
So, that is a triptych.
Most of the things,
not everything --
I showed you some smaller
examples this evening, too.
But most of the prints I
showed you are oban format.
And I'm trying to look it
up right now exactly
what the dimensions are.
I should have memorized
it by now.
But let me just say that
it's easy to find online.
And the word is o, b, a, n.
And it's a standard format.
They're not tremendously large.
And the triptych fits easily
on our display tables.
I hope if [inaudible] is there,
please drop in the chat
the dimensions for oban.
I'm sorry, I'm not
quickly finding it.
I could gesture it
for you so easily.
>> Aliza Leventhal:
Absolutely, Katherine.
Oh, and we've got
a hero in the chat.
>> Katherine Blood: Thank you.
>> Aliza Leventhal: It's
nine and a half inches
by 14 and a half inches.
>> Katherine Blood: Thank you.
Thank you so much.
I can show you with my hand.
>> Aliza Leventhal:
The next question,
"Is there any relationship
between the Shinto religion
and cherry blossom celebrations?
>> Katherine Blood:
Yeah, absolutely.
So, I can say that
sort of if you go back
into the early history
of the cherry blossoms,
that it was around the 9th
century that trees were brought
down from the mountains.
And this was, at
first, at the province
of aristocratic gardens,
to adorn the gardens
of the aristocracy.
And the custom of Hanami
evolved from there.
But in the mountains
where the cherries grew,
this was a spiritual
landscape inhabited
by Shinto deities called
kami, k, a, m, i, kami.
So, you can make a
connection there.
And there's more to say,
but that's one connection.
>> Aliza Leventhal:
Thanks, Katherine.
"How are the prints preserved
or conserved at the Library?
Thanks, again, for
this presentation."
>> Katherine Blood:
Oh, thank you so much.
So, we have got a wonderful
group of conservators who work
at the Library on our works
on paper, on our collections.
And they take very good care.
And they have also made --
a number of them have
made a very close study
of the organic pigments.
Especially that -- so,
these prints are made
out of crushed flower petals and
sumi-e ink and things like this.
And, so, the study of the
pigments helps us to make sure
that we display them
in a way that is safe,
and keeps the colors
bright and beautiful.
Let me recommend to you
a particular resource,
it's a story map.
And it was -- let me see
if I can quickly find this.
It's called "The Colorful
World of Ukiyo-E."
And it's by our colleagues
Gwenanne Edwards
and Chloe Joyner.
And it tells you all
about these pigments.
But about storage, let's see.
Some of the prints are just
foldered in acid-free folders.
A number of the prints are
also in acid-free window mats.
And then they're in archival
boxes on the shelves.
And we are always making sure,
monitoring, that the temperature
and the humidity is friendly
to the works on paper.
So, that's a little
bit of an answer.
There's more to say there, too.
>> Aliza Leventhal: Absolutely.
A lot of work goes into
conservation of these items.
"How do I know what kinds
of subjects are available
for viewing?
Is there a link of some
sort of a list of topics?"
>> Katherine Blood: A really
good starting place is the
exhibition that we gave you the
link for on an earlier slide
for our Floating World Show.
And in one of the sections, it
talks about the major subjects.
And the major, major subjects
include actors, beautiful women,
landscapes, sumo wrestlers.
And then, as we mentioned,
you know, there is a lot
of engagement with
history and literature.
And, at the same time, the idea
of sort of cutting-edge fashion,
what's new, what's hot.
All of these are major subjects.
So, that's an
oversimplification.
But I would go to that site.
I think that would be a
helpful jumping off point.
>> Aliza Leventhal:
The next question is
about the book you
and Mari wrote.
"Is it strictly a history
of cherry blossoms
in Japanese art?"
>> Katherine Blood: Mari,
I'm going to let you answer.
I can answer that, but, Mari,
I would like for you to jump in
and answer that, please.
>> Mari Nakahara: Well, we have
three parts that we will --
we are talking about
the cherry blossom gift.
And, also, we are
talking about a variety
of the cherry blossoms.
And then we also talk
about cherry blossoms
specifically related
to visual arts.
So, hope that helps.
And then, of course, you
know, that includes all
of the cherry blossom posters.
What, also, have a cherry
blossom festival, brochures,
and, of course, with
[inaudible] in them.
So, [inaudible], and then just
so you know, buy or borrow
from the Library
and then read it.
>> Katherine Blood: And
it's worth mentioning
that we've continued --
we continue to build
the collection.
And there are so many wonderful
things, some of them we shared
with you tonight, that
didn't make it into the book,
just because we hadn't
acquired them yet.
So, we've got more now.
>> Mari Nakahara: Yeah.
And then I want to
say that voices
like the National Cherry
Blossom Festival fosters --
we have a great collaboration
with the National Cherry
Blossom Festival, Inc,
that every year we
continue to acquire.
We already have historical
posters.
But every year we
are acquiring it.
>> Katherine Blood: So, no
one has asked this question,
but I'd like to share
it with you,
how we acquired these
2,500 prints,
or how they came to the Library.
They came from different,
especially
turn-of-the-19th-century,
collectors, including Supreme
Court Justice Oliver Wendell
Holmes, who liked Yoshitoshi.
Which makes me really
appreciate his taste,
because Yoshitoshi is
kind of a wild artist.
President William Howard Taft,
and especially Crosby Stuart
Noyes, who was the owner
and editor in chief of the
former Washington Evening Star.
So, he had a chance to sort
of travel and get around.
And he placed this gift at
the Library, specifically,
with the idea that the
collection would provide
important insight into
Japanese history and culture.
So, that's kind of perfect.
Oh, and the last thing I'll
mention, this is good for Mari,
too, with her architectural
expertise.
A lot of our most beautiful
Hiroshige prints came
from a draftsman to Frank Lloyd
Wright, who was also a big fan
and collector of
Japanese prints.
And his name, the draftsman,
was Donald D. Walker.
So, I'm just going to work
that into the conversation.
Do you have any more
questions, Aliza?
>> Aliza Leventhal: That
was the last one in the Q&A.
>> Katherine Blood: Well,
thank you so much, everyone.
We're really grateful for
your time and attention.
And please let us know
how we can be of service,
and answer your questions.
And come see the collection.
And we hope to see you
in person or online.
Thank you so much.
[ Music ]