Born in Australia to British parents, Mortimer Menpes studied painting at the Royal College of Art in London. Under the influence of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, he became interested in Japan and traveled to the country in 1887, around the time when Japonisme (interest in Japanese art), which began in France and spread throughout Europe, was gaining momentum in England. Menpes later interacted with the painter Kawanabe Kyosai, who possessed a unique style of painting, and returned to Japan with his daughter ten years later. Fascinated by the country, Mempes’s perspective on ordinary people, especially children, is filled with deep affection. This work depicts a mother and her children enjoying a meal on a fine sunny day. The smile of the mother holding her baby gives us a glimpse into the humble, calm, and happy lives of nameless people.
(YATSUYANAGI Sae)
Born in Australia to British parents, Mortimer Menpes studied painting at the Royal College of Art in London. Under the influence of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, he became interested in Japan and traveled to the country in 1887, around the time when Japonisme (interest in Japanese art), which began in France and spread throughout Europe, was gaining momentum in England. Menpes later interacted with the painter Kawanabe Kyosai, who possessed a unique style of painting, and returned to Japan with his daughter ten years later. Fascinated by the country, Mempes’s perspective on ordinary people, especially children, is filled with deep affection. This work depicts a mother and her children enjoying a meal on a fine sunny day. The smile of the mother holding her baby gives us a glimpse into the humble, calm, and happy lives of nameless people.
(YATSUYANAGI Sae)