富士山絵伝

The Mount Fuji Illustrated Scrolls

Regarding Kyoto Ōiri
Tatsuo Ōiri belongs to a long family lineage of Kyouji—craftsmen who specialize in mounting scrolls, an art that has been passed down since the Nara period. His studio, Kyoto Ōiri, is responsible for preparing sutra scrolls and Japanese books, creating replicas, and restoring and preserving historical documents and artworks designated as important cultural properties. This work leverages traditional techniques and familial wisdom that stretch back through history, ensuring the cultural treasures left by scholars and artists of the past are passed down to future generations.

The Mount Fuji Illustrated Scrolls are a pictorial work that visualizes the myths and legends associated with Mt.Fuji, Japan’s most iconic mountain. These artworks carry the apparel of passing on these traditions to spread their message of peace to future generations and the world.

Back in Japan, where the original paintings are carefully preserved as cultural assets in Shizuoka Prefecture, the scrolls garnered attention when they were exhibited at the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center and the Culture City of East Asia Project.

Producing the Artisanal Hanging Scroll Reproductions

The exhibit will include replicas of Hōraku Nakamura’s illustrated scrolls series, as well as related paintings from his other series.

The Mount Fuji Illustrated Scrolls are a series of four paintings, each adjoined to Japanese-style hanging scrolls skillfully crafted using traditional techniques.The technique begins with creating an ink wash painting to outline the design, followed by the application of distinct colors characteristic of Japanese watercolors. The artwork is then enhanced with a glaze of gold leaf through a unique Japanese painting process known as suyari-kasumi.While the technique is deeply rooted in Japanese tradition, the color palette chosen for this series is exceptionally vivid, setting it apart from conventional Japanese color schemes. Due to the original artworks being valued as precious cultural treasures in Japan, there are currently no plans to sell them at this time. Therefore, only our artisan-crafted reproductions will be available for purchase.

The key word here is artisan-crafted. Creating a traditional hanging scroll, known as a Kakejiku, involves a complex process. These reproductions have been expertly crafted by Kyoto Ōiri, the studio responsible for mounting the original paintings into their scrolls, as well as for the restoration and conservation of numerous important cultural properties across Japan. The gold leaf glazing and scroll mounting techniques used are identical to those of the original, making each piece a valuable work of craftsmanship and art that showcases the expertise of traditional artisans. Furthermore, only 20 pieces were produced in a limited edition worldwide.