Spring Field
春畝
Asai Chu · 1888 (Meiji 21) · Oil
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The Important Cultural Property "Spring Field" (Shunpo) by Asai Chu is an 1888 oil painting of a farming family tilling a field as spring arrives, shown at the first exhibition of the Meiji Art Society. It is held by the Tokyo National Museum.
- Artist
- Asai Chu
- Date
- 1888 (Meiji 21)
- Medium / format
- Oil
About this work
This oil painting depicts a farming family tilling a field as spring arrives. It is oil on canvas and measures 84.0 cm high by 102.5 cm wide. It is designated an Important Cultural Property. In the foreground people swing hoes into the soil, behind them white plum trees bloom, and beyond them thatched-roof houses can be seen.
Asai Chu was a painter active in the Meiji era who studied Western painting in earnest at the Technical Fine Arts School, Japan's first government art school. The rural subject and the color scheme based on browns show the strong influence of the Italian painter Antonio Fontanesi, who taught at the school. The figures are based on photographs that were then sold to foreigners.
The subject and tone were influenced by others, but the stable composition shows Asai's own high skill. "Spring Field" was shown at the first exhibition of the Meiji Art Society, Japan's first Western-style art association, and showed how mature Western painting had become in Japan.
Where can I see it?
Exhibitions change over time. Check each museum's exhibition information before you visit.
Museums that hold this work
- Tokyo National MuseumMuseum's page for this work (opens in a new tab)
Taito City, Tokyo Accession no. A-11243
Plan your visit to Tokyo National Museum
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Frequently asked questions
- Who painted Spring Field, and when?
- Spring Field is by Asai Chu, made in 1888 (Meiji 21). Medium: Oil.
- Where can I see Spring Field?
- It is held by Tokyo National Museum. Exhibitions change, so check each museum's information before you visit.
Sources and references
- ColBase (Tokyo National Museum) (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
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