Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Asai Chū died in 1907; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1977.
In context
Pulling Boat — Asai Chū
The original measures 27 × 43 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 51 at death.
Painted when the artist was 51. The artist lived to 51. 5 of the 7 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Asai Chū (1856–1907) ▲ this work, 1907 every dated painting, decade by decade
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/asai-chu-pulling-boat-AQR9PR-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Driftwood #a69059
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 11 works by this artist, of which 5 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Chiba City, Japan
Born: 1856, Chiba City, Japan.
Asai Chū was born into an ex-samurai class household in Sakura, Kantō region of Japan. His father served as a retainer of the Sakura domain and also acted as principal of the domain school.
He initially pursued English language studies in Tokyo in 1873 but soon became captivated by the arts.
In 1876, he enrolled at the Kobubijutsu Gakkō (Technical Fine Arts School), one of the first institutions to offer Western-style art training in Japan.
Crucially, he studied under Antonio Fontanesi, an Italian artist hired by the Meiji government to introduce oil painting techniques.
Asai Chū’s early work reflected a blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics with newly acquired Western techniques.
Key Influence: Antonio Fontanesi played a pivotal role in shaping his understanding of oil painting, composition, and light.
He embraced plein air painting – working outdoors directly from nature – a hallmark of Impressionism.
A later trip to France (1902-1904) allowed him to immerse himself in the Impressionist school, further refining his style.
In 1889, Asai Chū founded the Meiji Bijutsukai (Meiji Art Society), a landmark organization that brought together Western-style painters in Japan.
He became a professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) in 1898, contributing to art education.
Following his return from France, he established the Kansai Bijutsu-in (Kansai Arts Institute) and took a professorship at the Kyoto Kōtō Kōgei Gakkō (Kyoto School of Arts and Crafts).
Notable Works: Include “Spring Ridge,” “Woman Sewing,” “Morning Sun”, “Le Village de Kotaba” and "Pulling Boat". These paintings showcase his mastery of Impressionistic techniques applied to Japanese landscapes and scenes.
Asai Chū was instrumental in bridging the gap between traditional Japanese art and Western artistic movements.
He trained numerous students who went on to become prominent figures in the Japanese art world, including Sōtarō Yasui and Ryuzaburo Umehara.
He also tutored the celebrated poet Masaoka Shiki in Western art techniques.
Interestingly, he served as a model for a character in Natsume Sōseki’s novel, Sanshirō, highlighting his cultural impact.
Several of his works have been designated as Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs, recognizing their artistic and historical value.
Themes: Asai Chū frequently depicted landscapes, village life, and domestic scenes. His work often captures the serene beauty of rural Japan.
Style: He is known for his Impressionistic style characterized by loose brushwork, a focus on light and atmosphere, and a vibrant color palette.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/asai-chu-pulling-boat-AQR9PR-en/
Look closely
Pulling Boat — Asai Chū
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
The author of "Pulling Boat" is Asai Chū, and the work is dated 1907.
"Pulling Boat" is available as a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas. The order can be placed on its Hand-Painted Reproduction page, with a choice of sizes.
The colors of "Pulling Boat" by Asai Chū show a unified palette harmony. Harmony describes how the colors relate to each other.