The Many Faces of Itcho, Artist-Rebel of Japan

The Japanese painter Hanabusa Itcho (1652–1724) became a legend in his own lifetime, and has remained so for an extended period. Banished from the capital of Edo for eleven years, at age 47, he symbolized the Japanese artist-rebel to later generations. Yet Itcho’s work was more varied than his legend made it seem; before his exile, he not only painted, but he composed songs and humorous poetry and served as master-of-ceremony at parties for the most powerful. Once pardoned and back in Edo, he was unrivalled for the last fifteen years of his life; the multifaceted paintings his studio produced ranged from serious religious icons to humorous satires. In this lecture, Miriam Wattles, assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara examines Itcho’s late paintings to query how they culminated his career. Dr. Wattles teaches and writes on Japanese visual culture (especially paintings, prints, books, and manga) from the early modern to the modern period.
Brown Auditorium | Free, no reservations
Image: Attributed to Hanabusa Itcho (Japan, 1652-1724), Otafuku, Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk, Purchased with Funds Provided by Mrs. William Coberly, Jr., and Nell R. Applegate Bequest (M.79.82).