In the beginning of the 20th Century, influenced by the French Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism, there was a movement in Belgium to reproduce light pictorially. The group of artists who were involved in the movement were called "le luminisme". Claus was one of the leading artists in this movement.
Emile Claus(1849-1924) was born in Sint-Eloois-Vijve. He studied at Antwerp Academy and painted, using brown a lot, many genre pictures which were realistic and had socialistic themes. He visited Paris frequently at the beginning of 1880s and was influenced by one of his close friends, Henri Le Sidaner (we have his "Small Table in Evening Dusk" in our collection.) and Claude Monet, an Impressionist, well known for his "Waterlilies". The influence from the French artists was reflected in the Claus painting style as brighter colors and pleinairisme. Since then he started to attempt to capture the light into his paintings.
In the diary of Kijiro Ota who studied under Claus together with Torajiro Kojima, some of Claus's words were recorded: "Do not draw after the light disappears. Paint swiftly and quickly while the sun shines but once the sun sets, do not add even a stroke any more. Go home quickly." It reveals how adamant Claus was about the light.
This "Winter Orchard" shows Claus's special interests in the light. What catches our attention is bright yellow used for the line of trees on the bank in the far distance and trees on the back at the right side of the canvas. This brilliant yellow replaces the sun light. Together with brush strokes that intricately placed colors, it gives the impressions of soft and warm winter sun light, rather than the desolate wintry scene.
The production year of this "Winter Orchard" is assumed to be around 1911-1912 based on its style. It is the time that Kojima was studying in Belgium and receiving guidance from Claus. We wonder if Kojima also saw this landscape under the warm February light.
Reference:
The Bulletin of Ohara Museum of Art Vol. 1: Origin of the Collection of Ohara Museum of Art- Archetype of the modern museum of arts in Japan by Aomi Okabe, Ohara Museum of Art Foundation, November 5, 2001
"Belgium - Encounter with light (Exhibition of Torajiro Kojima and Kijiro Ota): Kijiro Ota and Belgium by Yoshihiro Nakatani,Nariwa Museum of Art, October 4, 1996
"Enchanting Belgium Art Exhibition - Special Exhibition of Belgium Paintings from the collection of Ohara Museum of Art, Himeji Municipal Museum of Art, July, 2001
Anecdote
It was in 1910 when Torajiro Kojima met Claus after having joined Gent Art School in Belgium.
Claus and Delvin shared the same philosophy and belief. He once said, "As a member of the Yamato race, you must paint important works showing your worth. Do not waste your time in Europe, simply copying European painting styles. Paintings that do not represent something intrinsic in the painter are not real. Something intrinsic means inborn intensions natural to the painter. Profound paintings must come from the artist's true heart. One must not imitate others."
Kojima visited Claus many times afterwards and asked him to be a critic of his paintings. Looking at "Kimonoed Belgian Girl", one of his important paintings he had drawn then, Claus said, "You should keep this painting at your side at all times. When you paint a new one, compare it to this one. A painter needs a thing like a tuning fork as a musician does. You should keep this painting as your tuning fork."
The luck that Kojima met President Delvin and Claus who accepted his being an oriental as part of his individuality and helped him to grow as an artist was one of Kojima's greatest fruits during his stay in Europe.
Reference:
Short Biography of Torajiro Kojima, Naohei Kojima, (Editing Room of Biography of Torajiro Kojima)
Winter Orchard
Commentary
In the beginning of the 20th Century, influenced by the French Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism, there was a movement in Belgium to reproduce light pictorially. The group of artists who were involved in the movement were called "le luminisme". Claus was one of the leading artists in this movement.
Emile Claus(1849-1924) was born in Sint-Eloois-Vijve. He studied at Antwerp Academy and painted, using brown a lot, many genre pictures which were realistic and had socialistic themes. He visited Paris frequently at the beginning of 1880s and was influenced by one of his close friends, Henri Le Sidaner (we have his "Small Table in Evening Dusk" in our collection.) and Claude Monet, an Impressionist, well known for his "Waterlilies". The influence from the French artists was reflected in the Claus painting style as brighter colors and pleinairisme. Since then he started to attempt to capture the light into his paintings.
In the diary of Kijiro Ota who studied under Claus together with Torajiro Kojima, some of Claus's words were recorded: "Do not draw after the light disappears. Paint swiftly and quickly while the sun shines but once the sun sets, do not add even a stroke any more. Go home quickly." It reveals how adamant Claus was about the light.
This "Winter Orchard" shows Claus's special interests in the light. What catches our attention is bright yellow used for the line of trees on the bank in the far distance and trees on the back at the right side of the canvas. This brilliant yellow replaces the sun light. Together with brush strokes that intricately placed colors, it gives the impressions of soft and warm winter sun light, rather than the desolate wintry scene.
The production year of this "Winter Orchard" is assumed to be around 1911-1912 based on its style. It is the time that Kojima was studying in Belgium and receiving guidance from Claus. We wonder if Kojima also saw this landscape under the warm February light.
Reference:
The Bulletin of Ohara Museum of Art Vol. 1: Origin of the Collection of Ohara Museum of Art- Archetype of the modern museum of arts in Japan by Aomi Okabe, Ohara Museum of Art Foundation, November 5, 2001
"Belgium - Encounter with light (Exhibition of Torajiro Kojima and Kijiro Ota): Kijiro Ota and Belgium by Yoshihiro Nakatani,Nariwa Museum of Art, October 4, 1996
"Enchanting Belgium Art Exhibition - Special Exhibition of Belgium Paintings from the collection of Ohara Museum of Art, Himeji Municipal Museum of Art, July, 2001
Anecdote
It was in 1910 when Torajiro Kojima met Claus after having joined Gent Art School in Belgium.
Claus and Delvin shared the same philosophy and belief. He once said, "As a member of the Yamato race, you must paint important works showing your worth. Do not waste your time in Europe, simply copying European painting styles. Paintings that do not represent something intrinsic in the painter are not real. Something intrinsic means inborn intensions natural to the painter. Profound paintings must come from the artist's true heart. One must not imitate others."
Kojima visited Claus many times afterwards and asked him to be a critic of his paintings. Looking at "Kimonoed Belgian Girl", one of his important paintings he had drawn then, Claus said, "You should keep this painting at your side at all times. When you paint a new one, compare it to this one. A painter needs a thing like a tuning fork as a musician does. You should keep this painting as your tuning fork."
The luck that Kojima met President Delvin and Claus who accepted his being an oriental as part of his individuality and helped him to grow as an artist was one of Kojima's greatest fruits during his stay in Europe.
Reference:
Short Biography of Torajiro Kojima, Naohei Kojima, (Editing Room of Biography of Torajiro Kojima)
Painting
Apple Picking
Small Table in Evening Dusk
Song of Songs (Le Cantique des Cantiques)
Haystacks
Waterlilies
Cliff of Gréville
Coutyard at the ‘Rondest House’, Pontoise
Woman Wearing a Hat with Silk Gauze
Delightful Land (Te Nave Nave Fenua)
All Things Die, But All Will Be Resurrected through God’s Love
Wave
Carriage and Pair
Three Dancers in Red Costume
Autumn Sea
Old Horse in the Wasteland
Landscape
Festival of Venis
Hair
Winter Orchard
Beethoven
Landscape of La Ferté-Milon
Annunciation