Spring Light

In 1908, the Japanese artist Torajiro Kojima left for Europe with the assistance of the Ohara family. Travelling via Paris, he ended up in Ghent, where he studied at the Academy. He was subject to a variety of European influences during this period. In Spring Light we see traces of Emile Claus’ cheerful Luminism, above all in the shadow effects, but also in the technique. On the other hand, Kojima also rendered the effects of harsh light, which he adapted from French Impressionism. The vivid colours reflect the influence of Fauvism. These various approaches made Kojima a model for numerous Japanese artists of the early twentieth century who, once back in Japan, incorporated the rapidly evolving European art into what they called ‘Western-style painting’.