In the past, laver seaweed laid out in the sun to dry on beaches was a common sight in winter in many parts of Japan. The beach depicted here is not identified, but the subject matter would have been familiar to Yokohama painter Ushida Keison. That is because Yokohama’s shallow Negishi Bay was a rich fishing ground at the time, and seaweed farming was also popular there. Keison would have been able to view the bay from Sankei-en, the garden built in Yokohama by successful businessman Hara Sankei, who was a devoted patron of the artist.
In this painting, Keison emphasizes the interesting shapes of the fishing trade, from the seaweed lined up neatly on drying racks to the thick bundles of nori hibi (tree branches placed in the sea to catch the seaweed). Behind them, bag nets are hung out to dry on oars. While the relaxed composition lends the picture an air of careless ease, the details are captured meticulously.
(UCHIYAMA Junko)
In the past, laver seaweed laid out in the sun to dry on beaches was a common sight in winter in many parts of Japan. The beach depicted here is not identified, but the subject matter would have been familiar to Yokohama painter Ushida Keison. That is because Yokohama’s shallow Negishi Bay was a rich fishing ground at the time, and seaweed farming was also popular there. Keison would have been able to view the bay from Sankei-en, the garden built in Yokohama by successful businessman Hara Sankei, who was a devoted patron of the artist.
In this painting, Keison emphasizes the interesting shapes of the fishing trade, from the seaweed lined up neatly on drying racks to the thick bundles of nori hibi (tree branches placed in the sea to catch the seaweed). Behind them, bag nets are hung out to dry on oars. While the relaxed composition lends the picture an air of careless ease, the details are captured meticulously.
(UCHIYAMA Junko)