Description/
Nijubashi Bridge marks the entrance of the Imperial Palace where the Japanese emperor lives. The name originally refers only to the iron bridge behind the stone one, but grew to include both due to their overlapping effect when seen from a distance. The stone spectacle-shaped bridge in yellow and orange hues traverses at eye-level, dissecting the composition into the upper and lower portions. The moat flows through the arches of the bridge and fades into the background to the left. The stone bridge is lined with ornamental lamps in cast-iron, while the front gate of the Imperial Palace on the left is guarded by one green-roofed security booth on each side. Cherry blossom tells of the spring season, and a watchtower can be seen in the distant right past the bridges. The continuous river is a clever way to break up the horizontal axis of the stone bridge, harmoniously tying together the up-close water and stone bridge and distant tree-lined mountains and palace walls. Chen Cheng-po generously uses brilliant intermediate colors and stroke patterns to add vividness and opulence to the classical elegance of the Imperial Palace and communicate the warmth of spring. The painting was not dated and was simply signed by the artist in the bottom right as "respectfully painted by Chen Cheng-po". It is speculated as a work completed while Chen studied in Japan since the subject is Japanese landscape. In recent years, however, a scholar who researched into the theme of Nijubashi Bridge and the signature has suggested the painting to fall under the genre of "Holy War Art" (Japanese war propaganda art) dated between 1939 and 1940.
Bibliography/
- Chuanying Yen, The Complete Collection of Taiwanese Art 1: Chen Cheng-Po (Taipei City: Artist Publishing, 1992), 230.
- Suchu Li, Painting "Something"—A Study on the Stylistic Maturation of Chen Cheng-Po (1895~1947) (Chiayi City: Chiayi City Cultural Affairs Bureau, 2005), 19.
- Suchu Li, Something that Reflects the Era—A Study of Paintings by Chen Cheng-Po ( Taipei City: Art & Collection Group Publishing, 2012), 62-75.
- Aichi Cultural Properties Navi. “Nijubashi Bridge Ornamental Lamp, Museum Meiji Mura.”
Nijubashi Bridge
Date Unknown
Materials & Techniques：Oil on canvas
Dimension：80.5x100 cm
Private Collection
Location:Nijubashi Bridge, Tokyo, Japan (now at the outer Garden of the Palace, 1-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
