A couple weeks ago, I attended an art exhibit featuring Yumeji Takehisa who is one of my favorite Japanese artists, so I was really looking forward to it. When I visited Okayama Prefecture with my husband long time ago, there was a museum, and for the first time I saw his art in person. Since then, I've been a fan of his art.

I'm also a fan of Taishō Roman, and his work perfectly represents the era. My grandmother on my mother's side was born in the period, and its culture has blended Western modern culture and traditional Japanese culture so beautifully. Even so, it still feels very nostalgic.

Yumeji was good at painting women, and his wife or girlfriends often posed for him.

I thought the painting below was very interesting. It describes "Old Kentucky Home". During staying the US, he painted this peace. I've visited Kentucky several times because one of my good American friend's mom used to live there. Kentucky is one of my favorite places to visit in the US. This painting immediately reminded me of the place.

He was also talented in graphic art as well and contributed to the development of Japanese decorative paper with colorful designs, called chiyogami. I didn't know that yumeji had contributed to the paper, and I learned something new through the exhibit.

The picture below shows one sheet of chiyogami.

Yumeji also influenced other artists who lived in the similar period. Back then, circuses became popular and some artists created poster in Yumeji's style.

These posters reminded me of The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. While staying in the US, I've visited its museum in Florida with two of my American friends. It was a fan place to visit.

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