Decorative Arts | 16th–19th century
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Bowl with Cherry Trees, By Ninnami Dōhachi, Edo period, 19th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 8
March 23, 2022 (Wed) - June 5, 2022 (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 | Writing Box with Gabions and Plovers | Edo period, 18th century | Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige, H-4315 | ||||
| Highlight | Robe ("Kosode") with Bamboo, Plum Blossoms, and the Character for “Bush Warbler” | Edo period, 18th century | I-2922 | On exhibit through May 8, 2022 | |||
| Highlight | Outer Robe ("Uchikake") with Hexagons, Wisterias, and Calligraphy | Edo period, 18th century | I-3894 | On exhibit from May 10, 2022 | |||
| Gourd-Shaped Sake Bottle | By Funada Ikkin (1812–63) | Edo period, 1843 | E-12744 | ||||
| Highlight | Large Dish with Cherry Blossoms and Figures | Imari ware | Edo period, 18th century | G-4741 | |||
| Dish with "Karahana" Flowers | Nabeshima ware | Edo period, 17th–18th century | G-5796 | ||||
| Highlight | Decagonal Bowl with a Cherry Tree | Imari ware | Edo period, 18th century | G-4748 | |||
| Highlight | Bowl with Cherry Trees | By Ninnami Dōhachi (1783–1855) | Edo period, 19th century | G-5797 | |||
| Stacked Boxes with Camellias, Pines, Bamboo, and Plum Trees | Kyoto ware | Edo period, 18th century | G-41 |