日本の版画1200年（町田市立国際版画美術館） 1200 Years of Japanese Prints (Machida City Museum of Gtaphic Arts)

日本で一番古い印刷物は、称徳天皇が764年に恵美押勝の乱の後に作らせた百万塔の中に収められた陀羅尼経。これは、世界最古の印刷物でもあるという。

そこから、1200年に日本の版画の流れを、8つのテーマに分けて紹介した展覧会。

最初のパートは仏教がテーマ。

仏教と印刷いえば、経典のことがまずは思い浮かぶ。しかし、南北朝時代以降は仏画も印刷物が増得たという。十二天像が展示されていたが、言われなければそれが印刷物とは気づかない。

次のコーナーでは、中国の西湖図やヨーロッパの博物誌などの印刷物と、その影響を受けた日本の版画作品が展示されていた。

続く2つのコーナーは、江戸時代と明治初期の浮世絵を中心とした展示。

北斎、広重、小林清親、橋口五葉、川瀬巴水などの、有名な作品が並ぶ。

後半は、大正期以降の創作版画などの作品で始まる。恩地孝四郎などの新たな版画作品や、中国の影響を受けた社会問題を告発する版画、山びこ運動など。

太平洋戦争以降は、日本の版画も世界に進出した。棟方志功、駒井哲郎、池田満寿夫、横尾忠則など。サム・フランスなどの外国の作家の作品も展示されていた。

この美術館の豊富なコレクションがあってこその企画だった。

The oldest printed matter in Japan is the Dharani Sutra, which was placed inside the Hyakumanto Pagoda, which Emperor Shotoku had built after the Emi no Oshikatsu Rebellion in 764. It is also said to be the oldest printed matter in the world.

From there, the exhibition introduced the history of Japanese printmaking in 1200, divided into eight themes.

The first part is themed on Buddhism.

When you think of Buddhism and printing, the first thing that comes to mind is Buddhist scriptures. However, it is said that printed Buddhist paintings also increased after the Northern and Southern Courts period. There were statues of the Twelve Heavenly Kings on display, but you would not realize that they were printed matter unless you were told.

In the next corner, there were printed matters such as China's West Lake Map and European natural history books, as well as Japanese printworks influenced by them.

The next two corners were mainly exhibits of ukiyo-e from the Edo period and the early Meiji period.

There were famous works by Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kobayashi Kiyochika, Hashiguchi Goyo, Kawase Hasui, and others.

The second half began with creative prints from the Taisho period onwards. The exhibition included new print works by Onchi Koshiro and others, prints that denounced social issues influenced by China, and the Yamabiko Movement.

After the Pacific War, Japanese printmakers also made inroads on the world stage. Works by Munakata Shiko, Komai Tetsuro, Ikeda Masuo, and others, as well as works by foreign artists such as Sam France were also on display.

This project was only possible because of the museum's extensive collection.