Yoshio Markino
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was a Japanese artist and author who from 1897 – 1942 was based in London. During the Edwardian years of 1903 – 1915 he was the most well known Japanese person living in London, and was widely praised for bridging the Japanese and Western artistic aesthetic in his artwork, particularly in his depiction of London's fog, gaslights and wet streets, which became his hallmark. Like his contemporaries Whistler and Monet, he viewed the London fog from an outsider's point of view and marvelled at the effect it had on light, both natural and artificial. Markino became known affectionately as ''Heiji of London Fog'', and wrote: 'I think London without mists would be like a bride without a trousseau'. His autobiography ''A Japanese Artist in London'', published in 1910 and written in an eccentric style, described his years of extreme poverty in London while trying to establish himself as an illustrator and artist. From his early years he was fascinated by Western culture and remained a committed Anglophile all his life.


Biography

Markino was born in the town of Koromo,
Toyota, Aichi , formerly known as Koromo, is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 426,162 and a population density of 464 people per km2. The total area was . It is located about 50 minutes from Nagoya by way of the Me ...
, Japan, named Makino Heijirō at birth. He was the youngest of 3 children, Yoshi (the oldest daughter) and Toshitarō (the oldest son). His mother was Makino Katsu, and his father was Makino Toshimoto, who founded and taught at their Koromo Primary School. His grandfather was an artist named ''Bai Yen''.''Stead's Review'', Volume 23, William Henry Fitchett, Henry Stead, William H. Judkins, pp. 288 The Makino family was an old samurai family (see
Chōnin was a social class that emerged in Japan during the early years of the Tokugawa period. In the social hierarchy, it was considered subordinate to the samurai warrior class. Social class The ''chōnin'' emerged in ''joka-machi'' or castle t ...
) – although as a result of changes in the structure of Japanese society, the samurai class had been abolished by 1873.''The Moving Pageant: A Literary Sourcebook on London Street-life, 1700-1914'', Rick Allen, 1998, pp. 228 In July 1875, he began his education at the Koromo School in Japan, and in 1880 started to study
Bunjinga , also known as , was a school of Japanese painting which flourished in the late Edo period among artists who considered themselves literati, or intellectuals. While each of these artists was, almost by definition, unique and independent, they a ...
with his brother under Tamegai Chikko until graduating in October 1883. From August 1884, he taught at the Otani School in Chita-gun, resigning in the autumn of that year, when he was adopted into the Isogai family (who were distant relatives), changing his name to Makino Yoshio. He then began working in Hagiwara Primary School until he moved to live with his biological father in Toyoaki City. In 1886, he became an assistant teacher at Haruki Primary School, working and living with his brother Toshitarō. It was in 1886 that Markino started to learn
Yōga is a style of artistic painting in Japan, typically of Japanese subjects, themes, or landscapes, but using Western (European) artistic conventions, techniques, and materials. The term was coined in the Meiji period (1868–1912) to distingui ...
sketching techniques under Nozaki Kanekiyo and Mizuno Manji. In October 1887, he began working as a designer for the Nagoya Design Company in
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
. In November 1887, he began studies at the Nagoya Eiwa School under a scholarship from American Protestant missionaries, studying English and the Chinese classics. In 1889, he applied to join the military but was rejected after failing the physical examination. In 1890, he borrowed money from his sister (then Fujishima Kyo), so he could stay in Yokohama with his cousin Hotta Maki, graduating that summer from Nagoya Eiwa. Markino was curious about, and attracted to, Western culture and in 1893, aged 24, he obtained a travel permit to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to study. He left Japan from Yokohama on ''The Peru'', arriving in San Francisco in July 1893. Through a letter of introduction to the Japanese Consul of San Francisco, he gained assistance from Suzuki Utsujirō who encouraged Markino to pursue his artistic career. In November 1893, Markino started his tuition at the
Mark Hopkins Institute of Art San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) was a Private college, private art school, college of contemporary art in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1871, SFAI was one of the oldest art schools in the United States and the oldest west of the Mis ...
. In 1894, he received news that his father had died. In April 1895,
Yone Noguchi was an influential Japanese writer of poetry, fiction, essays and literary criticism in both English and Japanese. He is known in the west as Yone Noguchi. He was the father of noted sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Biography Early life in Japan Nog ...
visited Markino. During this time he mastered his 'silk veil' technique allowing him to depict his signature fog and mist watercolour style 'to paint the thick fog that rolled in from the sea at certain times of the year'. This technique was to play an important part in the development of his style in the later artworks produced in London. In June 1897, after being introduced by correspondence with Sakurai Shozo to Hayashi Tadamasa, a Paris-based Japanese art dealer, he travelled to New York, where in August he met Miyake Katsumi (a yoga style painter) at the Japan Assembly Hall. While in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
between 1893 and 1897, Markino worked in numerous jobs and suffered racial discrimination. He was spat on in public in California (where anti-Japanese sentiment was high due to the growing population of
Issei are Japanese immigrants to countries in North America and South America. The term is used mostly by ethnic Japanese. are born in Japan; their children born in the new country are (, "two", plus , "generation"); and their grandchildren are ...
). He experienced limited opportunities based on his societal status, and difficulty finding decent employers, working as a house-boy for a dollar and a half a day.''The Japanese Community in Pre-War Britain: From Integration to Disintegration'', Keiko Itoh, 2013, pp. 111 He was insulted further when his first employer refused to learn his Japanese name saying it was too difficult to remember and instead referred to him as 'Charlie'. Speaking to the reporter Frank Harris on religious intolerance, he noted 'the Christian hypocrisy is far worse in America than in England. When I used to say in San Francisco that I was not a Christian, they used to turn from me as if I had said I was decaying. It is an ignorant, thoughtless people.' In November 1897, Markino travelled from New York to Paris to meet Tadamasa Hayashi, a prominent dealer in Japanese art, but by that time Hayashi had returned to Japan. By December, Markino had decided to move to London on the advice of Ide Umataro, who he had met during his time studying art. From 1898, he began working in the Japanese Naval Inspector's Office in London by day and studying at the South Kensington College of Science by night. In March 1898, he began studying at the Goldsmith Technical College. In 1900, he switched to the
Central School of Art and Design The Central School of Art and Design was a school of fine and applied arts in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1896 by the London County Council as the Central School of Arts and Crafts. ...
where he worked as an artist's model and later designed tomb-stone markers for just 3 months, as he had offended conservative religious mourners by his depiction of angels as 'ballet dancers'. Incredibly poor, he would often visit publishers for day-to-day work. He walked everywhere as he had no money for the
public transport Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of whic ...
, and lived on '
Bovril Bovril is a thick and salty meat extract paste, similar to a yeast extract, developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston. It is sold in a distinctive bulbous jar and as cubes and granules. Its appearance is similar to the British Marmite and ...
and rice'. He kept a studio at 39 Redcliffe Road, South Kensington, while living in
Brixton Brixton is an area of South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century ...
. In March 1901, the Naval Inspector's Office closed due to completing the order of warships which were being sent to
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. Although given £30 severance pay to cover the return fare to Japan, Markino decided to stay in London where he spent most of his subsequent life and career. He instead spent the money on art supplies and rent. Given his financial straits, Markino became downtrodden. He was eventually encouraged by
Henry Wilson Henry Wilson (born Jeremiah Jones Colbath; February 16, 1812 – November 22, 1875) was the 18th vice president of the United States, serving from 1873 until his death in 1875, and a United States Senate, senator from Massachusetts from 1855 to ...
who was fond of Japanese art. Wilson promised to introduce Markino to
Charles Holmes Sir Charles John Holmes, KCVO (11 November 1868, Preston, Lancashire – 7 December 1936, Kensington, London) was a British painter, art historian and museum director. Holmes was Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University (1904 to 1 ...
, the editor of '' The Studio'', who was also known to be fond of the vogue for Japanese woodcuts. In November 1901, his works were published in '' The Studio'', introducing Markino as an artist to the British public. In December, he met Hirobumi Ito. In February 1902, he published ''Japanese Children's Stories'' with the publisher Grants Richard, and provided illustrations for ''King'' Magazine. By October 1902, his work began to become increasingly popular. From November 1902, he began living with Noguchi in Brixton. At this stage in his career, Markino frequently had little income. In 1903, his work appeared in ''
The English Illustrated Magazine ''The English Illustrated Magazine'' was a monthly publication that ran for 359 issues between October 1883 and August 1913. Features included travel, topography, and a large amount of fiction and were contributed by writers such as Thomas Hardy ...
'' and he illustrated Noguchi's ''From the Eastern Sea'' for Unicorn Press. In August his work was published in the ''
Magazine of Art The American Federation of Arts (AFA) is a nonprofit organization that creates art exhibitions for presentation in museums around the world, publishes exhibition catalogues, and develops education programs. The organization’s founding in 1909 ...
'', whose editor
Marion Spielmann Marion Harry Alexander Spielmann (London, 22 May 1858 – 1948) was a prolific Victorian art critic and scholar who was the editor of '' The Connoisseur'' and '' Magazine of Art''. Among his voluminous output, he wrote a history of '' Punch' ...
was fond of Markino's sketches. He took him under his wing and introduced Markino to a wider
Edwardian In the United Kingdom, the Edwardian era was a period in the early 20th century that spanned the reign of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910. It is commonly extended to the start of the First World War in 1914, during the early reign of King Ge ...
social circle, while encouraging him to draw, paint and write. Spielmann also introduced him to
Douglas Sladen Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen (5 February 1856, London-12 February 1947, Hove) was an English author and academic. Life Educated at Temple Grove School, East Sheen, Cheltenham College, and Trinity College, Oxford, in 1879 Sladen migrated to A ...
, who would invite Markino to his Kensington home for tea and art parties. In 1904, the Japanese artist Hara Bushō moved in with Markino until May 1905. In September 1905, Markino was nominated as a judge for the Venice Great Art Exposition representing the British Art Association. Based on the recommendation of Spielmann, he received a membership as a research student of national museums in Britain. On the 8th May 1907, his illustrations of London, were published in ''The Colour of London'' to widespread critical acclaim. At the same time, the book's illustrations were shown at an exhibition of his works in Clifford Gallery in Haymarket. However, from May until June of that year, he was hospitalized in West London due to complications from a gastrointestinal operation. In August 1907, Markino returned to Paris when his publishers asked him to produce ''The Colour of Paris'' as a companion volume to ''The Colour of London''. He stayed in Paris until June 1908, and during this period met
Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (; ; 12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a u ...
at the home of Leon Benedite. In late 1908, ''The Colour of Paris'' was published in England by
Chatto and Windus Chatto & Windus is an imprint of Penguin Random House that was formerly an independent book publishing company founded in London in 1855 by John Camden Hotten. Following Hotten's death, the firm would reorganize under the names of his business ...
. Markino lived in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
from October 1908 to May 1909 to illustrate the final volume in a three part book series ''The Colour of Rome'', which was published by
Chatto and Windus Chatto & Windus is an imprint of Penguin Random House that was formerly an independent book publishing company founded in London in 1855 by John Camden Hotten. Following Hotten's death, the firm would reorganize under the names of his business ...
later in 1909. From July to October of 1910, he stayed with his friends the Sladens and the writer Olave Potter, researching for illustrations to accompany Potter's book ''A Little Pilgrimage in Italy''. Olave and Markino were said to have been romantically involved at the time. In May of 1909, he returned to Paris from Rome, staying till June of that year. He returned to London in September to work on ''Oxford from Within'', and stayed in Oxford to research the new book. In 1910, with the publication of ''A Japanese artist in London'' and ''Oxford from Within'', he guided friends around the
Japan–British Exhibition The took place at White City, London in Great Britain from 14 May 1910 to 29 October 1910. It was the largest international exposition that the Empire of Japan had ever participated in. It was driven by the Japanese government's desire to shake ...
, and he appeared in that year's
Who's Who A Who's Who (or Who Is Who) is a reference work consisting of biographical entries of notable people in a particular field. The oldest and best-known is the annual publication ''Who's Who (UK), Who's Who'', a reference work on contemporary promin ...
(and the years following until 1949). From late 1910, he traveled with the suffragette
Christabel Pankhurst Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst (; 22 September 1880 – 13 February 1958) was a British suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she directed Suffragette bombing and arson ca ...
lecturing on women's voting rights in the United Kingdom.''Edwardian London through Japanese Eyes: The Art and Writings of Yoshio Markino, 1897–1915'', William Rodner, 2012, pp. 195 – 196 During this time, Makino anglicised his name to Markino to prevent it being mispronounced as Maykino. In 1911, he produced a painting of Windsor Castle to celebrate Queen Mary's coronation, which was given to the Queen and published in ''The English Review''. Later in the year he also presented to Queen Mary an engraving of ''Buckingham Palace from Green Park''. 1912 was to prove his most productive period of writing, with the publication of ''My Idealed John Bullesses'', ''When I was a Child'', and ''The Charm of London'', followed in 1913 by ''Recollections and Reflections of a Japanese Artist''. With the outbreak of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
in 1914, Markino stopped sketching outdoors due to restrictions imposed on foreign nationals by the British government, and took up the study of English literature, philosophy, Greek and Latin. In 1915, Markino lectured on ethics and philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. In the same year, he contributed the stage design for a production of ''Madame Butterfly'' at the London Opera House for
Vladimir Rosing Vladimir Sergeyevich Rosing () (November 24, 1963), also known as Val Rosing, was a Russian-born operatic tenor and stage director who spent most of his professional career in the United Kingdom and the United States. In his formative years he ex ...
's Allied Opera Season. From 1918 he continued to write, paint and lecture, although his popularity had started to wane with the death of influential friends in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. In 1922, he lectured on comparative philosophy and Western and Asian art theory at Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1923, he married the young French woman Marie Piron in Paris, and on the 18th of October they moved to New York. In 1924, his wife's sister came from Pittsburg to join them, and in May of 1925 they moved to Boston. His work "The Plaza Hotel, New York City" (1924) was completed during this time. In Boston, Markino lectured on Eastern and Western philosophy, and on social issues, including racial discrimination, likely recounting many of his negative experiences in San Francisco during his first stay in America. He continued to have trouble selling his work, which prompted his return to London in 1927, while Marie stayed in America. Markino divorced Marie in September 1927, with the marriage ending on the grounds that it had never been consummated. Markino described the relationship as being 'like sister and brother'. On arrival in London, he found all his belongings that had been left with a Japanese resident of London had been sold. He managed to set up another exhibition and sell his watercolours, but due to his time away from the literary scene, he was regarded as outdated and started to live a
bohemian lifestyle Bohemianism is a social and cultural movement that has, at its core, a way of life away from society's conventional norms and expectations. The term originates from the French ''bohème'' and spread to the English-speaking world. It was used to ...
with English and Japanese friends from then on. At the outbreak of war with Germany in 1939, Markino continued to live in London. In that year, artworks belonging to the noted collector Kojirō Matsukata, including several paintings by Markino, were lost in a fire while in storage in London. Markino only finally returned to Japan in 1942 when England declared war on Japan and passage on the repatriation ship ''Tatsutamaru'' was arranged for the Japanese living in Britain at the time. In December 1942, Markino travelled to China and stayed at the Japanese embassy in Nanjing. He returned to Japan in 1943 and close to the end of the war moved to
Nikkō is a Cities of Japan, city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city's population was 80,239, in 36,531 households. The population density was 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Nikkō is a popular destination for Japanese and ...
, then finally settling in
Kamakura , officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...
. In 1952, he met
Carmen Blacker Carmen Blacker Order of the British Empire, OBE Fellow of the British Academy, FBA (13 July 1924 – 13 July 2009) was a British Japanologist. She was a lecturer in Japanese at the University of Cambridge. Life Blacker was born in Kensington in ...
in Kamakura, who was studying
ascetic Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their pra ...
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
there. Blacker described Markino as walking up a set of temple steps, in 'a shirt covered in smears of blue and green paint ... a sketchbook in his hand' rambling for almost four hours in English and Japanese rushing up the steps out of breath aged 83 noting 'how happy he had been in London, and that he had never wanted to leave she had so many friends, and was never tired of sketching the people and painting the mists.' Markino remained a devoted
Anglophile An Anglophile is a person who admires or loves England, its people, its culture, its language, and/or its various accents. In some cases, Anglophilia refers to an individual's appreciation of English history and traditional English cultural ico ...
for the rest of his years in Japan. In 1952 he attended a party at the
British Embassy in Tokyo The British Embassy, Tokyo (駐日英国大使館 ''Chūnichi Eikoku Taishikan'') is the chief diplomatic mission of the United Kingdom in Japan, with the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Japan being the chief of mission. The embassy compound m ...
where he would gift the British diplomats with a copy of his ''Thames Embankment in Winter'' woodblock print. Markino died at the age of 87 on October 18th of a cerebral haemorrhage in Kamakura.


Writing

Among his friends and acquaintances were the writers Yone Noguchi who introduced him to
Arthur Ransome Arthur Michell Ransome (18 January 1884 – 3 June 1967) was an English author and journalist. He is best known for writing and illustrating the ''Swallows and Amazons'' series of children's books about the school-holiday adventures of childre ...
,
M. P. Shiel Matthew Phipps Shiell (21 July 1865 – 17 February 1947), known as M. P. Shiel, was a British writer, remembered mainly for supernatural horror and scientific romances. His work was published as serials, novels, and as short stories. '' The Pu ...
, and the artist
Pamela Colman Smith Pamela Colman Smith (16 February 1878 – 16 September 1951), nicknamed "Pixie", was a British artist, illustrator, writer, publisher, and occultist. She is best-known for illustrating the Rider–Waite Tarot (also known as the Rider–Waite– ...
. Although unnamed, he plays an important role in Ransome's ''
Bohemia in London ''Bohemia in London'' (1907) was Arthur Ransome's seventh published book, and his first success. The book is about literary and artistic London in the 1900s, and the area of London covered is Chelsea, Soho, and Hampstead. He had moved to London i ...
'', and is considered to have been the model for the male protagonist in Shiel's book ''The Yellow Wave'' (1905) – a
Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
-type tragic romance on the background of the
Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...
of 1904–1905. He was invited by the '' English Review'' to write a series of essays and to author a signed weekly column with the '' Evening News'' in 1910 and another column in the '' Daily News'' in 1911. Markino's literary talents were widely recognized in London, and with the support of friends like
Douglas Sladen Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen (5 February 1856, London-12 February 1947, Hove) was an English author and academic. Life Educated at Temple Grove School, East Sheen, Cheltenham College, and Trinity College, Oxford, in 1879 Sladen migrated to A ...
he published several autobiographical works, including ''A Japanese Artist in London'' (1910), ''When I was a Child'' (1912), and ''My Recollections and Reflections'' (1913). Markino's style was appreciated by British readers who enjoyed his unique humour. His writings were also supportive of the
suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
movement and he had many female friends. His 'Idealised John Bullesses' and biographies frequently note his interactions with, and support for, women's marches and suffragettes like Christabel Pankhurst.
Sarah Grand Sarah Grand (10 June 1854 – 12 May 1943) was an Irish-English feminist writer active from 1873 to 1922. Her work revolved around the New Woman ideal. Early life and influences Sarah Grand was born Frances Elizabeth Bellenden Clarke in Ros ...
noted he was 'a thorough gentleman' when reading his writings in 1912. Another friend, Flora Roscoe; an Englishwoman who lived in the hamlet of Wedhampton; knowing how Markino had a hatred of business (something which he believed the English took too seriously) invited him in 1912 to stay to sketch the area, later travelling to
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
. Another time in a Markino fashion he met
Adeline Genée Dame Adeline Genée Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, DBE (born Anina Kirstina Margarete Petra Jensen; 6 January 1878  – 23 April 1970) was a Danish-British ballet dancer. Early years Anina Kirstina Margarete Petra Jens ...
:


Stagework

During 1900, Markino witnessed the
kabuki is a classical form of Theatre of Japan, Japanese theatre, mixing dramatic performance with Japanese traditional dance, traditional dance. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes ...
performances of Otojirō Kawakami in London. In December 1903 he advised on costume and set design for ''Kamigami no Choji'' performed at
Her Majesty's Theatre His Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated in the Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The building, designed by Charles J. Phipps, was constructed in 1897 for the actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who ...
, and designed the theatre program. In 1915 he co-produced a season of Russian, French and Italian Opera at the London Opera House. Directed by
Vladimir Rosing Vladimir Sergeyevich Rosing () (November 24, 1963), also known as Val Rosing, was a Russian-born operatic tenor and stage director who spent most of his professional career in the United Kingdom and the United States. In his formative years he ex ...
, the season included the first performance by the Japanese singer,
Tamaki Miura , was a Japanese opera singer who performed as Cio-Cio-San in Puccini's ''Madama Butterfly''. Early life Miura was born the first daughter of Shibata Mōho and Shibata Towa () on February 22, 1884, in Tokyo, Japan. Shibata, a music lover had h ...
as Cio-Cio-San in
Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
.


Art style

Markino was a popular member of a significant group of expatriate Japanese artists working in London, including
Urushibara Mokuchu Urushibara Mokuchu (漆原木虫) (1888–1953), given name Yoshijirō, was a Japanese print maker known for his many black-and-white prints of horses. He lived in Europe for many years, and exhibited in the United States after World War  ...
,
Ishibashi Kazunori was a Japanese painting, Japanese painter active in both yōga and nihonga. His name can also be read Ishibashi Wakun and he used the art name Gyūgagen. Ishibashi is perhaps best known for ''Woman Reading Poetry'' which is currently on display ...
, Hara Busho and Matsuyama Ryuson. He was and continues to be best known for his childlike whimsy and mannerisms which Hara Basho noted: On his
Whitechapel Whitechapel () is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. It is the location of Tower Hamlets Town Hall and therefore the borough tow ...
exhibit in 1910 the critic and Japanese art specialist
Laurence Binyon Robert Laurence Binyon, Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, CH (10 August 1869 – 10 March 1943) was an English poet, dramatist and art scholar. Born in Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster, England, his parents were Frederick Binyon, ...
criticized 'the ever popular colours, "best known and most prized in Europe, while ... the least valued in Japan' present in the watercolours based on dispelling the notion of the time which
Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...
called in his '
The Decay of Lying "The Decay of Lying – An Observation" is an essay by Oscar Wilde, included in his collection of essays titled ''Intentions'', published in 1891. This version of the essay is significantly revised from the article that first appeared in the Januar ...
' essay 'pure invention', Binyon was dissuaded by the toned down colour pallette which pandered to Europeans, instead wishing that 'a loan exhibition may be formed which shall at least adumbrate the range and history of apaneseart'.


Mist

Dissatisfied with the fogs of San Francisco, ''Heiji of the fog'' moved to London to 'produce "a study of London mists". Markino noted 'When I came to London first, I thought the buildings, figures, and everything in the distance, looked comparatively large, because in Japan the atmosphere is so clear that you can see every small detail in the distance, while here your background is mystified abruptly, which has great charm to me.' His favourite mist was the 'gentle mist
here Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...
London becomes a city of romance' or with its 'autumn mists'.''London Fog: The Biography'', Christine Corton, 2015, pp 190 'London looks ten times nicer if you see her through the mist.'''Edwardian London through Japanese Eyes: The Art and Writings of Yoshio Markino, 1897–1915'', William Rodner, 2012, pp. 40 – 45 Markino would use
oil paints Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. Oil paint also has practical advantages over other paints, mainly because it is waterproof. The earliest surviving ex ...
by blending the
primary colour Primary colors are colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a broad range of colors in, e.g., electronic displays, color prin ...
with its opposite colour to achieve 'the silk veil technique. "I can achieve a very soft colour by mixing in oils the strongest primary colour with its opponent colour . . . I made many other discoveries and was able to achieve some sense of light while trying to draw a silken veil".


Fog

Markino himself often enjoyed the wet and fog of London street scenes (both popular Japanese motifs) and the paintings of
J.M.W. Turner Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbu ...
. He would eventually fall for the charms of 'thick fogs'. 'A gaslight shining on a wet pavement in a fog is a miracle of beauty; it is like a pool of molten gold', and with how 'wet pavements reflect everything as if the whole city was built on a lake'. The silk veil technique Markino learned in California was used to present the ebb and flow of the heavy fogs of London from the factories of the
Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
of multifarious tones and colour, which London residents described as pea-soupers when the
air An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...
would turn yellow and green and 'stick' to shiny surfaces like window panes.


Artistic Hybridisation

There was a blending of Japanese and Western techniques in Markino's approach to artistic expression. He would use the
plein air ''En plein air'' (; French for 'outdoors'), or plein-air painting, is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The theory of 'En plein air' painting is c ...
technique, or memory (a more common Japanese tradition) to sketching, noting 'I always work work out entirely from the impression I get on the street so that sometimes it looks quite in the Japanese style, and other times quite European ... every day I come back from street study I always draw out all the figures I have seen during the day (from notebook or from memory) ... to make a finished picture I compose all those figures.' Traditionally in Japanese art, seasons play a large role, and in London winter became Markino's favourite season. He often enjoyed the way snow affected the everyday landscape of the city: 'that house in front of my window is painted in black and yellow. When I came here last summer I laughed at its ugly colour. But now the winter fog covers it, and the harmony of its colour is most wonderful'. 'Then no matter what ugly colours you may make your houses, if they pass through only one winter, the London fogs would so nicely greyly them always!'. Several of his works are held in the collections of the Museum of London.
H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, hist ...
on buying Markinos work noted 'I want to carry London to my Paris flat and this picture is the concentrated essence of London.'


Illustrated works

File:Early Autumn Hyde Park 1907.jpg, Early Autumn at Hyde Park (1907) File:Fog Ladies Crossing Piccadilly 1907.jpg, Ladies Crossing Piccadilly (1907) File:The flower-sellers 1907.jpg, Flower Sellers (1907) File:The porch of the Carlton Hotel at Night 1907.jpg, Carlton Hotel at Night (1907) File:A June Sunday 1907.jpg, A June Sunday at Hyde Park (1907) File:Tea on the terrace on the House of Commons 1907.jpg, Tea on the terrace on the House of Commons (1907) File:Leaving his Majesty's theatre 1907.jpg, Leaving his Majesty's theatre (1907) File:At the Zoo 1907.jpg, At the Zoo (1907) File:Winged victory and staircase of the Louvre.jpg, Winged Victory [... of the Louvre (1908) File:Chelsea Embankment 1910.jpg, Chelsea Embankment (1910) File:Outside StGeorges Hospital.jpg, Outside St.Georges Hospital (1910) File:Pencil Sketches by Yoshio Markino.jpg, Sketches (1910) File:Hyde Park Corner 1910.jpg, Hyde Park Corner (1910) File:Earl Court Station.jpg, Earls Court Station (1910) File:Siena Torre del Mangia 1911.jpg, Siena Torre (1911) File:Fishing Fleet 1911.jpg, Fishing Fleet (1911) File:Spoleto the Aquaduct 1911.jpg, Aqueduct (1911) File:Higashikamo.jpg, Higashikamo (1912) File:Koromo Village.jpg, Koromo Village (1912) File:Farmers cottages from the train Japan.jpg, Cottages from the train (1912) File:Promenade by convalescence.jpg, Promenade (1912) File:Ise shrine.jpg, Ise Temple (1912) File:White Lady at Wedhampton.jpg, Wedhampton (1912) File:Roller Skating 1912.jpg, Roller Skating (1912) File:Walking in the street 1912.jpg, Walking in the street (1912) File:Reading in Kensington Gardens.jpg, Reading in Kensington Gardens (1912) File:At the Albert Hall Sketches.jpg, Albert Hall Sketches (1912) File:South Kensington Museum, by Yoshio Markino.jpg, South Kensington Museum (1913) File:Lodgings at Sydney Street.jpg, Sydney Street (1913)


Literary Works

*There was a little man and he had a little gun (1902) *Japanese Dumpty (1903) *From the Eastern Sea (1903) *The Colour of London (1907) *The Colour of Paris (1908) *The Colour of Rome (1909) *A Japanese Artist in London (1910) *Oxford from Within (1910) *A Little Pilgrimage in Italy (1911) *Idealised John Bullesses (1912) *The Charm of London (1912) *When I was a child (1912); *Recollections and Reflections of a Japanese Artist (1913) *Twenty years of my Life (1913) *The Story of Yone Noguchi (1914) *Confucian Discipline (1936)


References


External links


"Plaza Hotel, New York City"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Markino, Yoshio 1869 births 1956 deaths Artists from Aichi Prefecture British artists Japanese writers Japanese expatriates in the United Kingdom 20th-century Japanese painters Writers from Aichi Prefecture