This painting is quite different from Shimada Shiro’s other works, which are known for their realism and mildness. It was around the time this work was made that Abstract Expressionism, a new movement that emerged in the U.S. after World War II, began impacting Japan. Many painters began using vigorous brushstrokes, one of the characteristics of the movement, to create a sense of intense dynamism. Shimada might have been looking for something new. He had long deployed powerful brushstrokes in small ink and wash landscapes. He respected the lively dynamism and stylishness that were considered the ideals of the Oriental ink and wash technique, and he may have tried to incorporate its sweeping brush strokes into this oil painting. (UCHIYAMA Junko)
This painting is quite different from Shimada Shiro’s other works, which are known for their realism and mildness. It was around the time this work was made that Abstract Expressionism, a new movement that emerged in the U.S. after World War II, began impacting Japan. Many painters began using vigorous brushstrokes, one of the characteristics of the movement, to create a sense of intense dynamism. Shimada might have been looking for something new. He had long deployed powerful brushstrokes in small ink and wash landscapes. He respected the lively dynamism and stylishness that were considered the ideals of the Oriental ink and wash technique, and he may have tried to incorporate its sweeping brush strokes into this oil painting.
(UCHIYAMA Junko)