Lac Leman 1908

Curator: This is "Lac Leman" by Fujishima Takeji, created in 1908. The artwork employs oil paint in what appears to be a plein-air style, depicting a serene landscape. What's your initial take? Editor: I'm immediately struck by the subdued palette. The brushwork feels incredibly textured and tangible, like you could reach out and feel the strokes of paint. The entire canvas is enveloped in a cool, contemplative atmosphere. Curator: Indeed. Given Takeji's exposure to Impressionism during his time in France, the visual evidence suggests his direct engagement with the landscape. The materials would be accessible and easily portable for plein-air work, of course, yet I am curious, what were his specific suppliers? It certainly affected the aesthetic result. Editor: It makes sense to look to that direct, real-world experience with landscape and light as inspiration. In a time of emerging abstract work, this image seems tied to the concrete world. One can feel that historical tension between observed reality and interior representation. The subdued colours and broken brushstrokes convey a very specific mood about nature. Curator: The interesting tension is that this ‘direct’ depiction can often be quite illusory! In Japan, there was active cultural engagement with art practice from Europe. Museums became exhibitionary and influential sites during the Meiji period, and this form of "western" painting offered a type of modernity, however contrived it was. Editor: That’s a fantastic point about the art institutions enabling Takeji’s practice and that link between his choices as an artist and a wider global moment, really. And yes, in an era grappling with rapid industrialization and modernity, perhaps this work offered a kind of nostalgic refuge into nature, mediated by global artistic exchanges. The location becomes as political as it is picturesque. Curator: Precisely. I find that examination of the physical conditions of the labour and the materials tells us the nature of social history and cultural value. Editor: A landscape is rarely just about nature. Thanks for framing it with a broader global perspective. Curator: My pleasure. This was really useful.