Takeda Hideo
and Japanese cartoon tradition
at The British Museum

Lawrence Smith
Keeper of Oriental Antiquities
The British Museum

Takeda Hideo always claims he is a cartoonist and not an artist; but as a cartoonist, he must of necessity be a master of line. If one looks at the history of Japanese art, whether in the form of painting or prints or indeed calligraphy, it is clear that line has been perhaps the most important of skills. This is in contrast to the art of the West. Takeda, therefor, rank as a Japanese artist by definition.

｢オレは漫画家だ、芸術家なんかじゃない!｣と武田秀雄はいつも主張するが、もしそうだとするならば、彼は線の達人に他ならない。　日本の美術史---それが絵画であれ,版画であれ、書道であれ-を眺めれば、もっとも大切なものは線である事が解る。　これは、西洋美術とは対象を成す。　それゆえ武田は,真に｢日本｣の｢芸術家｣であると言えるだろう。
大英博物館日本部・部長 ローレンス･スミス

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