どうして良寛展は図録が薄いのか Why is the exhibition catalog for the Ryōkan exhibition so thin?

細見美術館で、良寛展を見た。

良寛展と言えば、2019年から2020年にかけて、没後190年を記念した展覧会が名古屋の徳川美術館で行われた。

それ以来の、大規模な良寛展でとても楽しみにしていた。

構成は、良寛の生涯を辿りながら、およそ70点ほどの良寛の書画が展示されていた。そのほとんどは個人コレクターの作品。

画讃、漢詩、和歌、書簡などの様々な種類の作品があり、良寛がそのテーマや内容に応じて、書体を変えていたことがよくわかる。

かつての所有者として、下村観山や前田青邨、北大路魯山人などの名前が散見されて、その生涯や個性的な書が、芸術家たちからも愛されていたことがうかがえた。

参考として、小野道風 『秋萩帖』 や懐素 『千字文』 なども展示されていた。

唯一無二とも言える良寛の書だが、良寛はそうした同じく個性的な先人たちの書を学び、独自の書体を生み出したのだろう。

それにしても、徳川美術館での展覧会でもそうだったが、どうして良寛展の図録は薄いのか。

コレクターたちが、図録に収録されるのを拒んでいるためか、あるいは、分厚い図録を作っても、誰も買わないだろう、というそろばん勘定からだろうか・・・

I visited the Ryōkan exhibition at the Hosomi Museum.

Speaking of exhibitions dedicated to Ryōkan, a major one was held at the Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya between 2019 and 2020 to commemorate the 190th anniversary of his passing.

This was the first large-scale exhibition of his work since then, and I had been looking forward to it immensely.

The exhibition was structured to trace the life of Ryōkan, showcasing approximately 70 of his calligraphic works and paintings—most of which belong to private collectors.

The collection included a diverse range of pieces, such as paintings with inscriptions, Chinese-style poetry , waka poetry, and personal letters. They clearly demonstrate how Ryōkan adapted his calligraphic style to suit the theme or content of each piece.

Among the names of former owners, one could spot figures such as Shimomura Kanzan, Maeda Seison, and Kitaōji Rosanjin—a testament to how deeply Ryōkan’s life and his distinctive, idiosyncratic calligraphy were cherished by other artists.

For context, the exhibition also featured works such as Ono no Tōfū’s "Akihagi-jō" (Autumn Lespedeza Album) and Huaisu’s "Senjimon" (The Thousand Character Classic).

While Ryōkan’s calligraphy is truly one-of-a-kind, it seems likely that he developed his unique style by studying the works of these equally distinctive predecessors.

That said—much like the exhibition at the Tokugawa Art Museum—why are the exhibition catalogs for Ryōkan shows always so thin?

Is it because collectors refuse to allow their pieces to be included, or is it simply a matter of cold, hard calculation—the assumption that no one would buy a thick, substantial catalog?