Studio Nihonga

December 9, 2025–June 28, 2026

Kemper Family Foundations Balcony and Ingrid & J.K. Lee Study Center

A woman with dark hair wearing a kimono sits holding a parasol beneath a flowering tree by a stream

Nakamura Daizaburō, Woman Seated by a Stream, early 1900s

A tan man with dark coiffed hair wearing a white loincloth stands with hands on hips

Nihonga originated in the late 19th century during the Meiji period (1868–1910) as a response to Western art influences. Artists sought to preserve Japanese aesthetics while modernizing techniques, leading to a reinvention of classical methods. While Nihonga has evolved to include modern themes and formats, its traditional materials and methods remain central, keeping the artform alive in a contemporary context. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Street Nihonga: The Art of Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani. 

A tan man with dark coiffed hair wearing a white loincloth stands with hands on hips
A tan man with dark coiffed hair wearing a white loincloth stands with hands on hips
Umi no otoko (Man of the Sea)
early 1930s, Showa period (1926–1989)
A woman walks on a green hill with flowering bushes and blue mountains in the background
A woman walks on a green hill with flowering bushes and blue mountains in the background
高原に展く Kōgen ni hiraku (Spreading out on the high fields)
1937
Two women wearing dresses recline in green grass amidst flowering bushes
Two women wearing dresses recline in green grass amidst flowering bushes
高原に展く Kōgen ni hiraku (Spreading out on the high fields)
1937