Japanese Masterpieces in Leiden

The SieboldHuis in Leiden shows masterpieces by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) from the Ed Freis Collection in Las Vegas. The influence of Japanese art on European artists goes without saying and this exhibition shows the reasons behind this appreciation. His penetrating and sometimes lyrical prints in which the moon plays a dominant role, the harsh realities of the great battles of the past, the mysterious tales of ghosts and spirits, as well as actors of the kabuki theater and the geisha world, all those genres are well represented. Yoshitoshi developed a unique style often with dramatic lines and beautiful colors. The triptych is his favorite size. The final years of his life were his most productive, with his series of 32 beauties, the 36 apparitions and 100 aspects of the moon.