Shell for a Drum (Ōtsuzumi) with Holly Osmanthus, Edo Period, 17th century (Gift of Mr. Itō Kashinosuke)
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 8
January 2, 2024 (Tue) - February 4, 2024 (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 | Sake Cup and Stand with Waves and Waterfowl | By Nagata Yūji | Edo period, 18th century | H-121 | |||
Reading Stand with Mount Yoshino | Edo period, 18th century | H-108 | |||||
Highlight | Fireman's Coat ("Hikeshi Banten") with a Sword-Wielding Figure | Edo period, 19th century | I-3119 | On exhibit through December 3, 2023 | |||
Highlight | Kimono-Shaped Bedquilt with Snowflakes | Edo period, 18th century | I-741 | On exhibit from January 2, 2024 | |||
Highlight | Important Art Object | Large Lobed Dish with a Flying Phoenix | Imari ware | Edo period, 17th century | Gift of Ms. Yamamoto Tomiko and Mr. Yamamoto Kenji, G-5751 | ||
Sake Pitcher with Birds and Flowers | Imari ware | Edo period, 17th century | G-5877 | ||||
Gourd-Shaped Sake Bottles with Auspicious Patterns | Imari ware | Edo period, 17th century | G-1794 | ||||
Highlight | Fan-Shaped Dish with Autumn Grasses | Kyoto ware | Edo period, 18th century | Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke, G-4671 | |||
Highlight | Tea Bowl with Motifs from the “Autumn Excursion” Chapter of "The Tale of Genji" | Studio of Ninsei | Edo period, 17th century | Gift of Ms. Yamamoto Tomiko and Mr. Yamamoto Kenji, G-5750 |