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Hayashi Tadamasa was a prominent Paris-based art dealer in the [[Meiji period]], who played a prominent role in the introduction of ''[[ukiyo-e]]'' to Europe, and thus in the impact of ''ukiyo-e'' upon Impressionism.

Hayashi Tadamasa was a prominent Paris-based art dealer in the [[Meiji period]], who played a prominent role in the introduction of ''[[ukiyo-e]]'' to Europe, and thus in the impact of ''ukiyo-e'' upon Impressionism.

Hayashi originally traveled to Europe as a representative of the [[Meiji government]] to help coordinate Japan's presence at the [[1878 Paris World's Fair]]. He then stayed in Paris, and opened a shop in [[1883]] which sold a variety of Japanese art objects and crafts products until [[1905]]. He soon developed relationships with a number of the most prominent French artists of the day (or, at least, those most remembered and appreciated today). More than ten percent of Monet's personal collection of nearly 300 ''ukiyo-e'' woodblock prints bore either Hayashi's seals, or those of his close associate [[Wakai Oyaji]] (Kenzaburô); further, it was Hayashi who in [[1892]] gifted Monet the Japanese irises for his pond at Giverny, which appear in some of Monet's most famous paintings. Hayashi is also known to have attended an exclusive dinner in [[1885]] in celebration of a posthumous exhibition of Manet's work.

Hayashi originally traveled to Europe as a representative of the [[Meiji government]] to help coordinate Japan's presence at the [[1878 Paris World's Fair]]. He then stayed in Paris, and opened a shop in [[1883]] which sold a variety of Japanese art objects and crafts products until [[1905]]. He soon developed relationships with a number of the most prominent French artists of the day (or, at least, those most remembered and appreciated today). More than ten percent of Monet's personal collection of nearly 300 ''ukiyo-e'' woodblock prints bore either Hayashi's seals, or those of his close associate [[Wakai Oyaji]] (Kenzaburô); further, it was Hayashi who in [[1892]] gifted Monet the Japanese irises for his pond at Giverny, which appear in some of Monet's most famous paintings. Hayashi is also known to have attended an exclusive dinner in [[1885]] in celebration of a posthumous exhibition of Manet's work. In total, it's believed that more than 156,000 prints bear Hayashi's seal, along with over 9,000 volumes of illustrated books and nearly 850 painted screens and hanging scroll paintings.<ref>Julie Nelson Davis, “Picturing the Floating World: Ukiyo-e in Context,” Rare Book School presentation, 8 July 2020.</ref>

Hayashi also played a key role in the careers of a number of prominent Japanese painters of his day. After [[Kuroda Seiki]] arrived in France as a law student in [[1884]], Hayashi, along with painter [[Yamamoto Hosui|Yamamoto Hôsui]], encouraged Kuroda into becoming a painter. Hayashi then also arranged for Kuroda to serve as interpreter for art student [[Fuji Masazo|Fuji Masazô]], on a visit to the teaching studio of Raphael Collin, another prominent French academic painter of the time who was also a patron of Hayashi's shop.

Hayashi also played a key role in the careers of a number of prominent Japanese painters of his day. After [[Kuroda Seiki]] arrived in France as a law student in [[1884]], Hayashi, along with painter [[Yamamoto Hosui|Yamamoto Hôsui]], encouraged Kuroda into becoming a painter. Hayashi then also arranged for Kuroda to serve as interpreter for art student [[Fuji Masazo|Fuji Masazô]], on a visit to the teaching studio of Raphael Collin, another prominent French academic painter of the time who was also a patron of Hayashi's shop.

==References==

==References==

*John Clark, ''Modernities of Japanese Art'', Brill (2013), 150-151.

*John Clark, ''Modernities of Japanese Art'', Brill (2013), 150-151.

[[Category:Meiji Period]]

[[Category:Meiji Period]]

[[Category:Merchants]]

[[Category:Merchants]]

[[Category:Artists and Artisans]]

[[Category:Artists and Artisans]]