Sunrise, Cape Daio 

Fujishima Takeji painted this oil on canvas, Sunrise, Cape Daio. Fujishima lived through a time of intense Westernization in Japan and became known for integrating Western art styles with Japanese aesthetics. He was a professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, and actively promoted the Yoga (Western-style painting). We see in this work the broad strokes of impressionism in the rendering of the sunrise, and the glowing orange tones of light on the water. Fujishima does not simply replicate Western styles, but rather adapts them, creating something entirely new. There is a sense of peacefulness to the scene. Fujishima uses techniques from Western art to connect the viewer with the beauty of the Japanese landscape. He said that art should be 'the bridge between East and West'. This painting represents a moment of cultural exchange, where the artist's identity is shaped by both tradition and innovation.