Attempts at Compositions
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This painting began from the
emotion caused by the story Kuroda heard in invigorating surroundings.
Instead of depicting the story itself, he attempted to reproduce
the inspirational situation through a group composition. Although,
in a respect, it was an example of a "proper" work, a "composition",
which Kuroda had frequently been advocating since his return from
France, the result was a contemporary genre painting. The studies
in oil and the charcoal drawings for this painting were all submitted
to The 1st Hakuba-kai Exhibition and were influential in
the emergence of fine examples of Meiji genre painting such as Evening
at the Ferry by WADA Eisaku and The Lesson by
SHIRATAKI Ikunosuke.
Although Kuroda made further
attempts at compositions such as Wisdom, Impression, Sentiment,
judging from the finish of such works, the artist himself was not
fully satisfied with them. Compositions as an intensive manifestation
of academicism were thus a lifelong theme for Kuroda. |
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