Decorative Arts | 16th–19th century
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Tea Bowl with a Mantis and the Moon, By Eiraku Hozen, Edo period, 19th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 8
July 20, 2021 (Tue) - October 3, 2021 (Sun)From the late 16th century, changes in society helped artisans to develop the decorative arts. In the Azuchi–Momoyama period (1573–1603), samurai warlords united Japan after more than a century of fighting. The following Edo period (1603–1868) saw economic growth under a new samurai government, with merchants and other people gaining the wealth to buy art.
Potters succeeded in making Japan's first porcelain in the early 17th century. Methods for decorating porcelain and other ceramics then became more diverse, as shown by works with gold, silver, and color enamels. Meanwhile, textiles saw rapid technical advances. The loom was improved to make complex weaves possible, while dyeing became as detailed and expressive as painting.
Items like furniture and dining sets were coated with lacquer and decorated with metal powders, most often gold. Lacquer workers refined this technique, called maki–e, and combined it with new materials for more elaborate designs. Metalworkers also began using a wider variety of base metals and alloys, creating works with greater detail and precision.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Confectionary Box with Flowering Plants | By Tanda Chūbei | Edo period, 18th century | Gift of Mr. Itō Kashinosuke, H-502 | |||
| Highlight | Summer Robe ("Katabira") with Cherry and Peony Sprays and Bird Roundels | Edo period, 19th century | I-1420 | On exhibit through August 22, 2021 | |||
| Highlight | Robe ("Kosode") with Waves and Floral Roundels | Reportedly used by Eishin'in, the wife of Date Narikuni, the 12th Head of the Sendai Domain | Edo period, 19th century | I-650 | On exhibit from August 24, 2021 | ||
| Handled Mirror with Mount Fuji, Eulalia Grass, and the Autumn Moon | Edo period, 18th century | Gift of Mr. Tokugawa Yorisada, E-18049 | |||||
| Highlight | Lidded Bowl with Peonies | Imari ware, Kakiemon type | Edo period, 17th century | G-5759 | |||
| Highlight | Fan-Shaped Dish with Autumn Grasses | Kyoto ware | Edo period, 18th century | Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke, G-4671 | |||
| Highlight | Tea Bowl with a Mantis and the Moon | By Eiraku Hozen (1795–1854) | Edo period, 19th century | G-318 |