One hundred prints, one hundred stories, and always the moon. The famous print series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon by the Japanese artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892) is on display at the Van Gogh Museum for the first time.
In this dossier exhibition you'll discover why Yoshitoshi is regarded as the last great master and innovator of Japanese printmaking.
Colourful stories
In one hundred colourful prints you'll see poets, samurai, courtesans and mythical figures from Japanese and Chinese history, literature, mythology and folklore. Yoshitoshi brings their stories to life in powerful, colourful compositions.
The moon is the unifying element in these prints. It symbolises contemplation and nostalgia. Sometimes the moon is clearly visible, but at other times, only the moonlight reveals its presence.
Masterpiece
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi is one of the 19th century’s most important Japanese printmakers. He combined Japanese traditions with ideas from Western art, such as perspective and realism. In this way, he developed an innovative and distinctive style.
The series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon is considered Yoshitoshi’s masterpiece and one of the last great series within the Japanese printmaking tradition, the ukiyo-e.
