Spent a good day with friends at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Gallery viewing the woodcuts, etchings, and paintings of Emil Nolde. I was surprised at the small scale of Nolde’s people-centered works: the dancers and prophets and Ensor-like satirical scenes, and likewise was surprised at the large scale of his glorious flowers that he somehow managed to do while under house arrest (more or less) by the Nazis. Nolde’s draughtsmanship owes a lot to Munch and his flat color areas are a nod to Gauguin. He also owes a debt to Ensor, I think, esp. Ensor’s Seven Deadly Sins series of etchings. My favorites? “Sickman, Doctor, Death and Devil,” has to be the best. I also enjoyed his splay-legged “Dancer” of 1913, so carried away in her erotic swoon that one can almost smell her sweat and musk. Moreover, it was a great joy to examine Nolde’s black and white woodcuts closely with my son Yoichi. Their very roughness, starkness and the use of the wood grain as part of the composition invited us to try the technique for ourselves.

Afterwards everyone went to the picnic area for talk and sushi. The kids wrestled, raced, collected acorns, and played. It was time well spent in good company; a memorable time. Thanks to all those who were with us.