The Work of Critic SOEDA Tatsurei— The 9th Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems
In the study of modern and contemporary art, while it is natural to focus on the artists who create the works, it is also important to investigate and examine the critics who evaluate these artists and works, and pass our knowledge of these artists and their works on to future generations through the writings of these critics.
At the Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems held on March 4, two researchers gave presentations focusing on SOEDA Tatsurei (1888–1971), who left behind numerous works, including A History of Struggles in the Japanese Art World (published in 1924), Appreciation of Nanga and Literati Painting (published in 1934), and Hanko and Fuko (published in 1955).
In his presentation, “SOEDA Tatsurei and His Materials,” Mr. SAKOUCHI Yuji (Kosugi Hoan Museum of Art, Nikko) shed light on SOEDA’s life and achievements, which had previously been largely unknown. This was followed by a presentation by Mr. HORI Yoshio (Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art) titled “SOEDA Tatsurei and His Interactions with Japanese Painters from the East and West as Seen in Correspondence,” in which he introduced letters addressed to SOEDA from Japanese painters from both the eastern and western regions—including KANASHIMA Keika, TSUCHIDA Bakusen, DOMOTO Insho, KATAYAMA Nanpu, and SAKAI Sanyo—thereby shedding light on a facet of their interactions.
The research presented by these two scholars is based on an investigation of materials passed down through the SOEDA family, conducted with the support of the Idemitsu Museum of Arts. The seminar was attended by Ms. INO Azusa (Kawagoe City Art Museum) and Mr. TANABE Ken (Kosugi Hoan Museum of Art, Nikko), who participated in this research, as well as Ms. ENAKA-SOEDA Satoko (Professor Emerita, Showa Women’s University), who is SOEDA Tatsurei’s granddaughter. During the discussion following the presentations, opinions were exchanged regarding SOEDA’s place in art history and the future utilization of the surviving collection of materials, interspersed with recollections from Professor ENAKA.