「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」The Fusion of Chinese and Japanese Art in the Works of Tomioka Tessai

Just because he was born on the same day as Su Shi, Tomioka Tessai spent his entire life pursuing the spirit of Su Shi. His paintings are a wonderful illustration of the fusion of Chinese and Japanese art. Tomioka Tessai had a profound understanding of Chinese and Ming-Qing literati paintings. He drew inspiration from the elegance of Zhao Mengfu and the freedom of Shi Tao, and incorporated it into Japanese ink paintings.

The scene of the literati gathering in “Xiyuan Elegant Gathering” is elaborately composed yet clearly layered, possessing the charm of ancient Chinese landscape and figure paintings. In the “Tiger Roaring with Power” painting, the tiger is depicted with bold brushstrokes, exuding great power, and ingeniously combining the force of the wild beast with the fluidity of ink. In the “Tea Pot Painting”, the ink-wash tea pot is accompanied by a full and tense inscription, fully demonstrating the charm of literati painting, calligraphy, painting, and seal engraving. In the “Waterfall Flowing from Sky” painting, the mountain rocks are depicted with splashed ink, and the flowing water in the blank areas contrasts with the heaviness of the rocks, fully showcasing the expressive power of ink. In the “Compassionate and Grateful Painting”, the figures are simple in brushwork but vivid in expression, with a lively Japanese style and the charm of Chinese figure painting.

This creation, which embodies the profound spiritual core of Chinese literati painting while retaining the unique charm of Japanese art, has also forged a deep bond between Tomioka Tessai and the Chinese art community. He frequently interacted with Chinese literati such as Wu Changshuo and Luo Zhenyu, and Wu Changshuo even engraved seals for him. Modern ink masters like Qi Baishi and Zhang Daqian were also influenced by him. When Qi Baishi was painting, he often kept his painting books at hand for reference. Nowadays, most people who know about Tomioka Tessai are from the academic circle, but his ability to blend and integrate different cultures in his paintings has such artistic charm that it deserves to be known and appreciated by more people.
The tea for today is all gone. Next time, I’ll brew a fresh pot and enjoy art with you again.