Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 5
July 29, 2008 (Tue) - October 19, 2008 (Sun)
Meibutsugire (celebrated fabrics) were a type of dyed and woven fabric brought to Japan from places like China, mainly from the Kamakura period to the early Edo period. They include fabrics such as kinran (gold brocade), donsu (damask), nishiki (Japanese brocade) and kando (striped textile), produced during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. They were owned by daimyo or by temples and shrines and were used for a variety of purposes. For example, they were sometimes used as mountings for calligraphic works and paintings, or as bags for tea ceremony utensils such as tea caddies, bowls etc.
The meibutsugire are being displayed in a series of four exhibitions, each exhibition featuring a different kind of design. In this, the second of the series, we will be shining the spotlight on designs featuring birds and beasts. Starting with animals like dragons or rabbits, these designs also feature motifs of birds like the phoenix, the crane and waterfowl as well as various fish. These motifs are sometimes used by themselves but can more often be seen combined with several other patterns.
Among the designs displayed here are: unkakumon donsu (known as goshuingire), depicting a crane soaring up into the clouds; hanausagimon kinran (known as suminokura kinran), a series of patterns depicting a cute rabbit standing on its hind legs looking back at some blossoming trees; and hasuikesuikinmon kinran (known as wakutade kinran), a scenic pattern depicting a lotus pond with a variety of waterfowl and fish.
Some meibutsugire were known by special nicknames. For example, suminokura kinran was named after the wealthy Kyoto merchant Suminokura Ryoi, who was particularly fond of that kind of design, while the fabric futarishizuka was named after the costume worn by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa when he performed the futarishizuka dance.There are numerous bird and beast designs featured on the kinran and donsu meibutsugire exhibited here. We hope you enjoy them.
The meibutsugire are being displayed in a series of four exhibitions, each exhibition featuring a different kind of design. In this, the second of the series, we will be shining the spotlight on designs featuring birds and beasts. Starting with animals like dragons or rabbits, these designs also feature motifs of birds like the phoenix, the crane and waterfowl as well as various fish. These motifs are sometimes used by themselves but can more often be seen combined with several other patterns.
Among the designs displayed here are: unkakumon donsu (known as goshuingire), depicting a crane soaring up into the clouds; hanausagimon kinran (known as suminokura kinran), a series of patterns depicting a cute rabbit standing on its hind legs looking back at some blossoming trees; and hasuikesuikinmon kinran (known as wakutade kinran), a scenic pattern depicting a lotus pond with a variety of waterfowl and fish.
Some meibutsugire were known by special nicknames. For example, suminokura kinran was named after the wealthy Kyoto merchant Suminokura Ryoi, who was particularly fond of that kind of design, while the fabric futarishizuka was named after the costume worn by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa when he performed the futarishizuka dance.There are numerous bird and beast designs featured on the kinran and donsu meibutsugire exhibited here. We hope you enjoy them.
Major works in this exhibition
