Huang Goodman · Art Forgotten

Art Forgotten

Art from public museum collections. A mismatched real Japanese law, and some other factoids.

Every object, image and description comes from the museum's own catalogue record, and every object links to its original. Japanese records are machine-translated into English; the museum's Japanese is kept beside the translation because it is the authoritative form. Each law carries its official number and links to e-Gov 法令検索, the Japanese government's statute database.

春秋屏風
{春秋屏風 · 五十嵐 浚明 IKARASHI · 江戸時代(18世紀) · Japan Search · 国立国会図書館}
Autumn and Spring by Screen: This catalog introduces the collection of screen paintings presented in this exhibition. The screens, which originated in Japan during the spring and autumn seasons, served as room dividers and decorative elements in traditional Japanese interiors. The screens showcase a variety of motifs, including landscapes, figures, and abstract designs. Each screen is a unique work of art, revealing the skill and creativity of its artist. The lavish use of color and intricate brushwork demonstrate the mastery of the artists who created these screens. They also reflect the cultural context and aesthetic sensibilities of their time. The screens are arranged in this catalog based on their thematic and stylistic similarities. Each section offers an insight into the artistic trends and influences of different periods in Japanese history. Through this catalog, we invite you to explore the beauty and richness of Japanese screen paintings from the autumn and spring seasons.

On the right side, there are horses gathered in a cozy group under a cherry blossom tree, depicting the scene of spring. On the left side, there are deer resting under a tree with red leaves, representing the scenery of autumn. The artist was born in Niigata, studied in Edo and Kyoto, and absorbed techniques from various schools such as Tosa and Kano. He established his own painting style. In 1744 (Enkyo), it is recorded that he received the painting "Wadatsumi Aka-iro-zu" (designated cultural asset of Niigata Prefecture, Uji Art Museum) as a gift from the young lord of the pool, Ikeda, when he returned to Niigata from Kyoto.

右隻には春の景色として桜の大樹の下でのどかに集う馬たちの姿を、左隻には秋の景色として紅葉の樹の下で憩う鹿たちの姿を描いています。作者は新潟に生まれ、江戸、そして京都を遊学し、土佐派や狩野派などの諸派の技術を吸収して自らの画風を確立しました。1744年(延享元)に京都から新潟へ帰郷するに際して、若き日の池大雅から《渭城柳色図》(新潟県指定文化財、敦井美術館蔵)を贈られたことが知られています。

View the original at Japan Search →
The law
屋外広告物法
Outdoor Advertising Act
昭和二十四年法律第百八十九号 · Act No. 189 of 1949

Article 1 gives three grounds for regulating a sign: forming good landscape, maintaining scenic character, and preventing danger to the public. Article 3 then lets a prefecture prohibit outdoor advertising outright, by ordinance, in named categories of place.

The cool part. Read the list in Article 3 and it stops being an advertising law. The places where signage can be banned include landscape districts, scenic districts, preservation districts for groups of traditional buildings, the surroundings of designated Important Cultural Properties, and historic sites, places of scenic beauty and natural monuments. The statute protects the view by removing the sentences written across it.

Verify at e-Gov 法令検索 →

Use it Take the ratio, not the picture. It sets a page better than a grid does.

Description source: museum curator text, translated — not generated