Otsu-e paintings were a category of folk art that was first produced in the mid-17th century. Because they were largely created by commoners to be displayed or sold on busy streets, the paintings did not receive much acclaim compared to the woodblock Ukiyo-e paintings that later followed and dominated the art world in the Edo period.
While Otsu-e paintings were largely only recognised as historical records and not for their artistic merit, this exhibition at the Tokyo Station Gallery celebrates some of the most eccentric paintings that were overlooked throughout history. There are roughly 150 Ōtsu-e masterpieces on display, which previously belonged to famous art collectors who recognised their value sometime after the Pacific War.