数年前に、京都 宝蔵寺所蔵の伊藤若冲の「竹に雄鷄図」や長沢芦雪の「拾得図」、鶴亭浄光の「墨蘭図」などの作品を鑑賞する特別講座が、京都市所有の、第3代、9代の総理大臣を歴任した山縣有朋の別荘「無鄰菴」で行われた。

A few years ago, a special lecture was held in Kyoto to appreciate works such as Ito Jakuchu's "Bamboo and Ondori-zu", Nagasawa Rosetsu's "Jyutoku-zu", and Kakutei Jyoko's "Bokuran-zu" from the Hozoji Temple in Kyoto. The event was held at the city-owned villa "Murin-an" by Aritomo Yamagata, who served as the third and ninth prime ministers.

通常、伊藤若冲の絵を鑑賞するとなれば、博物館あるいは美術館がほとんど。蛍光灯などの灯りに照らされている場合が多い中で、その時の講座は、テーマが「日本の絵画を知るー"自然の光で見る若冲"」だった。それに惹かれ参加した。

Usually, most of the paintings by Ito Jakuchu are museums or art galleries. In many cases, it was illuminated by fluorescent lights, and the theme of the course at that time was "Knowing Japanese Paintings-" Jakuchu in Natural Light". I was attracted to it and participated.

床の間に掛けられていたお軸は紅葉の絵。この絵を蛍光灯で見るのと、自然の光の中で見るのと明暗の違いが素人でもはっきりと理解できた。

The axis hanging between the alcove is a picture of autumn leaves. Even an amateur could clearly understand the difference between looking at this picture with a fluorescent light and looking at it in natural light.

続いて本題の若冲の「竹に雄鶏図」を、今回の講座解説をしていただいた福田美術館学芸課長(当時/嵯峨嵐山日本美術研究所)の岡田秀之氏が、「3年前にこの作品が若冲筆のものであると認定されて以来、表具を一式新しいものにし、その初披露となります」と前置きし掛けられた。

Next, Mr. Hideyuki Okada, the director of the Fukuda Art Museum's curriculum section (at that time / Saga Arashiyama Japanese Art Research Institute), who explained the lecture on "Bamboo and Ondori-zu" by Jakuchu, said, "This work three years ago. Since it was certified as a rooster brush, it will be the first time that the tableware has been renewed and it will be unveiled. "

若冲が得意としている鶏の中でも、この絵は墨のみで描かれたもの。描き方などを詳しく解説され、とくに尾羽根など墨がどのくらい滲むかという計算をした上で描いている、というのがこの絵の最大のポイントという。

Among the chickens that Jakuchu is good at, this picture was drawn only with ink. The biggest point of this picture is that it explains in detail how to draw, especially after calculating how much ink such as tail feathers bleeds.

その絵が、自然の光の中でどのように見えるかを楽しむのが今回の主旨。自然の光の中では明暗がよくわかる。それによって鶏の動きが見えてくるよう。

The purpose of this time is to enjoy what the picture looks like in natural light. You can see the light and dark in the natural light. By doing so, you can see the movement of the chicken.

実際、若冲が描いたときは、ランプの灯りか自然光の中である。その灯りの中で墨の濃薄をつけて描いたものだからこそ、自然光で観るのがベストのように思う。若冲の墨色にこだわる想いが伝わってくるようだった。
絵の解説以外にも、表具や保存の仕方など多義にわたる解説も興味深い内容だった。

In fact, when Jakuchu drew it, it was in the light of a lamp or in natural light. I think it's best to watch it in natural light because it was drawn with the shade of ink in the light. It seemed that Jakuchu's feelings of sticking to the ink color were conveyed.
In addition to the explanation of the paintings, the explanations of various meanings such as tableware and how to save were also interesting.

レポート & 写真/  渡邉雄二　解説 / 岡田秀之氏 　お軸 / 宝蔵院所蔵

Reported & Photos by Yuji Watanabe

Comments by Hideyuki Okada  

Ojiku from treasury