Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 15
August 6, 2024 (Tue) - October 6, 2024 (Sun)
During the Edo period (1603–1868), collecting a rage of objects became a trend. People collected all sorts of things, such as flora and fauna, textile patterns, design sketches of inrō cases, and monograms. Furthermore, they compiled relevant lists and encyclopedias to accompany the collected objects. Some of these publications included quotes and illustrations taken from documents of all ages and cultures.
This exhibition presents examples of such publications, namely illustrated catalogues, which shed light on the Edo-period culture of collecting objects. The highlight of the exhibition’s lineup is an illustrated catalogue series entitled Album of Birds.