Cincinnati meets Japan with Masterpieces of Japanese Art, Feb. 15 – Aug. 30, 2015

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19th Century, Animal Story Scroll, Chiyo Mitsuhisa, Cincinnati Art Museum, Edo period, Late 16th or early 17th century, late 18th or early 19th century, Model of an Ox Cart. Meiji period, Momoyama Period, Ogawa Haritsu, Presentation of a Prince, six-fold screen, Suit of Armor

Ogawa Haritsu (1663–1747) 小川破笠 Animal Story Scroll, Edo period (1615–1868). Handscroll, ink, color, and gold on paper Gift of the Robert F. Blum Estate 1906.4. Cincinnati Art Museum.

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Art Museum is home to one of the oldest and most extensive Japanese art collections among all U.S. museums. Masterpieces of Japanese Art, on view Feb. 14 – Aug. 30, features 100 items from the Cincinnati Art Museum’s permanent Japanese art collection which tell the fascinating stories of Cincinnatians who traveled and lived in Japan.

Many items in this exhibition have rarely been on display to the public before while others have never been on display at the museum. Items in this exhibition include paintings, screens, prints, ceramics, lacquer and metal wares, ivory carvings, arms and armor, cloisonné, dolls, masks, costumes and textiles. This exhibition features items which span from the 12th to 20th centuries, and many major styles of Japanese art representing rare and unique examples of many of the leading masters of this time.

Some of the treasures in Masterpieces of Japanese Art include:

• Complete set of Japanese armor. Made from iron, doeskin and lacquer, the armor is in the style of the Edo period (1615-1868), created in the late 18th or early 19th century.

Suit of Armor, Edo period (1615–1868), late 18th or early 19th century. Iron, doeskin, and lacquer. Museum Purchase, 1892.2783. Cincinnati Art Museum.

• Model of an ox cart. Coated with black lacquer, this large-scale model is equipped with functional parts and decorated with custom-made bamboo curtains for its windows and doors.

Model of an Ox Cart. Meiji period (1868–1912), 19th century. Lacquer. Gift of Mrs. Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto. 1911.1371. Cincinnati Art Museum.

• Presentation of a Prince, six-fold screen. Depicting a scene from the Tale of Genji. In ink, color and gold on paper, the screen is attributed to 16th century female artist Chiyo Mitsuhisa. Due to its rarity and value, the National Institute for Cultural Properties of Japan funded its restoration. It was shipped to Japan for expert conservation restoration in 2012.

Chiyo Mitsuhisa (Attr., Active circa 1532–55) 千代光久 Presentation of a Prince, Momoyama period (1573–1615), Late 16th or early 17th century. Six-fold screen. Ink, color, and gold on paper. The Thoms Collection; Given by Mrs. Murat H. Davidson in Honor of her Grandfather, Joseph C. Thoms 1982.6. Cincinnati Art Museum.

• Teapot with bamboo handle. A double-gourd-shaped teapot covered in a soft yellow glaze that darkens to green. This item is an example of Rookwood Pottery’s introduction into Japanese aesthetics via Kitaro Shirayamadani, who worked at Rookwood from 1887 until his death in 1948.
• Miss Okinawa, Japanese Friendship Doll. Created as a symbol of friendship and goodwill between Japan and the United States, this is one of 58 Japanese dolls sent to the US in 1927. The 30-inch doll dressed in a silk kimono and some of her accessories will be on display.

Dr. Hou-mei Sung, Curator of Asian Art at the Cincinnati Art Museum, has dedicated years to exploring and inventorying the museum’s 3,000 piece collection of Japanese art. To complement the exhibition, she has created a 206-page catalogue which provides history and context for each item that will be on display.

“We want the world to know that the Cincinnati Art Museum has an amazing collection of Japanese art. It’s a hidden treasure of beautiful, diverse and historically relevant artwork, right here in Cincinnati,” said Dr. Sung. “The artwork alone is worthy of appreciation, but the exploration of the past and connections with the area to Japan makes it even more interesting.”

Meijer Gardens’ new exhibition showcases Japanese art never before seen outside of Japan

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Bowl with Clouds and Cranes, Edo period, Eiraku Hozen, Kimono, Moriguchi Kakō, Onigawara, Stoneware roof tile with gargoyle, Yuzen-style dyed silk

Eiraku Hozen. Bowl with Clouds and Cranes, Edo period (1615–1868). Porcelain with red and gold overglaze, 3.58 x 4.8 x 4.8 inches. Courtesy of Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, The Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art.

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture presents a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of Japanese art, Splendors of Shiga: Treasures from Japan. This major display, exclusive to Meijer Gardens, opened to the public on January 30th and features more than 75 iconic works of art, most of which have never been seen outside of Japan.

Splendors of Shiga: Treasures from Japan will display more than 60 Japanese works of art from the 8th century to the present day. Courtesy of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture

Timed to anticipate and coincide with the opening of The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, this exhibition features exceptional hand-painted scrolls and screen paintings, centuries-old Buddhist statuary and devotional objects, meticulously designed ancient and contemporary kimonos, meaningful tea ceremony objects and exceptional varieties of famed Shigaraki and Shiga-area pottery.

Stoneware roof tile with gargoyle, Onigawara, Edo period (1615-1868). 14.96 x 24.41 x 11.81 inches. Collection of Omihachiman City. Courtesy of Omihachiman City Municipal Kawara Museum.

“Without doubt, this exhibition represents one of the most significant exhibition endeavors for Meijer Gardens,” said Joseph Becherer, chief curator and vice president of exhibitions and collections. “Nearly five years in the making, this exhibition brings the culture of Japan to the Midwest in a meaningful way.”

Splendors of Shiga: Treasures from Japan will display more than 60 Japanese works of art from the 8th century to the present day. Courtesy of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture

Resulting from the 40-year sister-state cultural relationship between Michigan and the Shiga Prefecture, Splendors of Shiga: Treasures from Japan will be displayed in three themes: Winter (January 30-March 22), Spring (March 28-June 4) and Summer & Fall (June 10-August 16). The exhibition will be temporarily closed March 23–27 and June 5–9 for changing of artifacts on display.

Splendors of Shiga: Treasures from Japan will display more than 60 Japanese works of art from the 8th century to the present day. Courtesy of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture

In addition, objects from the 9th century through the 20th century will be organized in one of several thematic areas: Devotional Treasures, The Landscape, Beauty in Daily Life, The Four Seasons and Ceremonial and Domestic Ceramics. The cross-integration of work allows for a more complete understanding of the foundations of Japanese art and it’s highly developed sense of aesthetic and integration into its culture.

Moriguchi Kakō. Flowers, 1983. Kimono, Yuzen-style dyed silk, 66.93 inches long. Courtesy of The Museum of Modern Art, Shiga.

« As exemplified by the masterpieces on display, the visual arts play an extraordinary role in Japanese culture,” said Becherer. “From Buddhist statuary to painted scrolls, ceramics to kimono, this exhibition will be a delight to all audiences.”

Splendors of Shiga: Treasures from Japan will display more than 60 Japanese works of art from the 8th century to the present day. Courtesy of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture

The pieces featured in this exhibition are on loan from Shiga’s three primary art organizations: Museum of Modern Art, Shiga; Museum of Shiga Prefectural Government, Biwako-Bunkakan; Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, with important additional loans from the Binman-ji Temple, Daiko-ji Temple, Hando Shrine, Kannon-ji Temple, Museum of Omihachiman City, Saimyo Temple and private collections.

Splendors of Shiga: Treasures from Japan will display more than 60 Japanese works of art from the 8th century to the present day. Courtesy of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture

A pair of Japanese gilt-metal mounted black and gold lacquer hasamibako, Edo period, late 18th-early 19th century

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Aoi mon, black and gold lacquer, Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere, Edo period, Hasamibako, Japanese gilt-metal mounted, late 18th-early 19th century

Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere. A pair of Japanese gilt-metal mounted black and gold lacquer hasamibako, Edo period, late 18th-early 19th century. Estimate £63,000 – £5,000 ($4,524 – $7,540). Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015

Each decorated overall in Aoi mon and foliate scrolls, with a gold paper lined interior, the underside of the lids with shellac, with corner mounts and side handles; 14 ¼ in. (36.5 cm.) high; 24 ¾ in. (63 cm.) wide; 18 ¼ in. (46.5 cm.) deep

Christie’s. THE COLLECTIONS OF PRINCIPESSA ISMENE CHIGI DELLA ROVERE AND A NOBLE GENOESE FAMILY, 4 February 2015, London, South Kensington

A pair of Japanese gilt-metal mounted, black and gold lacquer karabitsu, Edo period, 19th century

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19th Century, black and gold lacquer, Edo period, Japanese gilt-metal mounted, karabitsu

Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere. A pair of Japanese gilt-metal mounted, black and gold lacquer karabitsu, Edo period, 19th century. Estimate £63,000 – £5,000 ($4,524 – $7,540). Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015

Each with shaped square lid, the interior decorated in dark brown lacquer, the fluted body and tapering legs decorated with foliate scrolls; 17 ½ in. (44.5 cm.) high; 14 ½ in. (37 cm.) wide; 14 ½ in. (37 cm.) deep

Provenance: Perrin Antiquaires, Paris, from whom purchased by Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere in 1975.

Christie’s. THE COLLECTIONS OF PRINCIPESSA ISMENE CHIGI DELLA ROVERE AND A NOBLE GENOESE FAMILY, 4 February 2015, London, South Kensington

A Japanese gilt-metal-mounted domed lacquer coffer, the coffer 17th century, partly later japanned in Europe in the 19th century, the stand later

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17th Century, 19th Century, Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere, Japanese gilt-metal-mounted domed lacquer coffer

Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere. A Japanese gilt-metal-mounted domed lacquer coffer, the coffer 17th century, partly later japanned in Europe in the 19th century, the stand later. Estimate £3,000 – £5,000 ($4,524 – $7,540). Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015

Decorated throughout with shaped panels, those to the lid and front decorated with birds in landscapes. The chest: 15 ¼ in. (39 cm.) high; 31 in. (79 cm.) wide; 12 ¾ in. (32 cm.) deep. The stand: 19 ½ in. (50 cm.) high

Christie’s. THE COLLECTIONS OF PRINCIPESSA ISMENE CHIGI DELLA ROVERE AND A NOBLE GENOESE FAMILY, 4 February 2015, London, South Kensington

A Japanese brown and gilt lacquer hokkai bako, Edo period, 19th century

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19th Century, Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere, Edo period, hokkai bako, Japanese brown and gilt lacquer

Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere. A Japanese brown and gilt lacquer hokkai bako, Edo period, 19th century. Estimate £1,000 – £1,500 ($1,508 – $2,262). Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015

Of octagonal form with stand, the lid with reverse decoration, the interior lined with red and gold paper, decorated with stylised foliage and peonies, Aoi mon and shells; 19 ¾ in. (50 cm.) high; 15 in. (38 cm.) square

(detail of lid interior)

Christie’s. THE COLLECTIONS OF PRINCIPESSA ISMENE CHIGI DELLA ROVERE AND A NOBLE GENOESE FAMILY, 4 February 2015, London, South Kensington

A pair of Japanese inlaid-bronze figures, Edo period, 19th century

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19th Century, Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere, Daikoku, Edo period, Hotei, Japanese inlaid-bronze figure

Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere. A pair of Japanese inlaid-bronze figures, Edo period, 19th century. Estimate £1,200 – £1,800 ($1,810 – $2,714). Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015

Depicting Hotei lying on his treasure sack, and Daikoku with his rice bail, each with a hexagonal stand; 8 in. (20 cm.) high; 9 in. (23 cm.) square

Christie’s. THE COLLECTIONS OF PRINCIPESSA ISMENE CHIGI DELLA ROVERE AND A NOBLE GENOESE FAMILY, 4 February 2015, London, South Kensington

A Japanese lacquer large wash bowl, Edo period, 18th century

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18th century, Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere, Edo period, Japanese lacquer, wash bowl

Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere. A Japanese lacquer large wash bowl, Edo period, 18th century. Estimate £1,000 – £1,500 ($1,508 – $2,262). Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015

Decorated in hiramakie on black lacquer: together with a shaped cosmetic box, late 17th Century: two octagonal red and black lacquer dishes: two smaller boxes and a bronze dish. The first: 7 ¾ in. (19.5 cm.) high; 21 in. (53 cm.) diameter

Christie’s. THE COLLECTIONS OF PRINCIPESSA ISMENE CHIGI DELLA ROVERE AND A NOBLE GENOESE FAMILY, 4 February 2015, London, South Kensington

A Japanese brown and gilt lacquer hibachi, Edo period, 19th century

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19th Century, Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere, Edo period, hibachi, Japanese brown and gilt lacquer

Collection of Principessa Ismene Chigi Della Rovere. A Japanese brown and gilt lacquer hibachi, Edo period, 19th century. Estimate £800 – £1,200 ($1,206 – $1,810). Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015

The top with inset ebonised and brass dish; together with a red and black lacquer storage box, in the form of a pumpkin, the lid enclosing a black lacquer interior; 7 ¾ in. (19.5 cm.) high; 9 in. (23 cm.) square – 8 ¾ in. (22.5 cm.) high; 10 ½ in. (26.5 cm.) diameter

Christie’s. THE COLLECTIONS OF PRINCIPESSA ISMENE CHIGI DELLA ROVERE AND A NOBLE GENOESE FAMILY, 4 February 2015, London, South Kensington

Over 15 galleries specializing in Japanese art will hold exhibitions in NYC this Asia Week

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circa 1800, Edo period, Places Along the Tokaido, Six-Panel Screen

Artist unknown, Places Along the Tokaido. Pair of six-panel screens; ink, mineral colors, gofun, and gold on paper with gold leaf; Edo period, circa 1800; H. 66¾ x W. 146½ in. each (169.5 x 372.1 cm). Courtesy Erik Thomsen Gallery.

NEW YORK, NY.- Over a dozen of Europe and the United States’ leading dealers of Japanese art will present exhibitions during New York’s Asia Week, from March 13 to March 22, 2015. The wide spectrum of exhibitions will highlight the breathtaking range of the arts of Japan, from ancient terracottas to scenes of nature and of Japan’s emergent middle class entertainment to recent photographs of bodies emblazoned with tattoos.

In 2015, the Japanese Art Dealers Association will hold its seventh consecutive collaborative exhibition of Japanese art by leading dealers in the field – the only regularly held mini-fair during Asia Week, one that dates back to 2009. JADA 2015: An Exhibition by the Japanese Art Dealers Association will feature over 60 works of art that span 2,000 years. The exhibition will be held at the Ukrainian Institute of America, 2 E. 79 St. in New York, for three days only, from March 14 through March 16, 2015.

Asia Week draws to New York curators, art historians, collectors, and aficionados from all over the world for a week of exhibitions that reveal long-hidden masterpieces and fine works of art. It was established in by Sotheby’s in 1992.

“The interest in Japanese art has continued to be robust over the past several years, and in 2015 JADA welcomes several new affiliated galleries to its ongoing effort to highlight exceptional Japanese art during Asia Week,” said Sebastian Izzard, president of the JADA. “Our members and affiliates look forward to a vibrant Asia Week with the arts of Japan among the week’s highlights.”

Among the works in JADA 2015 will be an early bronze Dōka (ritual spear blade) from the Yayoi Period (400 BC-AD 300), exhibited by Mika Gallery, that is in exceptionally fine condition. An early and important 15th century calligraphy, Zen no Kaname, Principle of Zen, by Motsurin Shōtō (d. 1419) will be shown by Koichi Yanagi Oriental Fine Arts. Shōtō was a prominent calligrapher of the Muromachi period (1392-1573) and a disciple of Ikkyū Sōjun (1394-1481), the noted Zen Buddhist monk and poet. The provenance of Zen no Kaname, Principle of Zen includes Jinkōin Temple, one of the three largest Shingon sect temples in Kyoto.

Other highlights include a remarkable and historically notable pair of circa 1800 six-panel screens, Places Along the Tōkaidō, a highly detailed work that pre-dates Utagawa Hiroshige’s landmark print series, The 53 Stations of the Tōkaidō. The screens feature hundreds of travelers in various landscapes and are both remarkably beautiful and a document that recalls a transitional moment in Japanese culture. They will be exhibited by Erik Thomsen Gallery.

Dating from 1889, nearly a century later, is a pair of hanging scrolls by the 19th century master of several media, Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891), Carp Swimming among Water Plants. The scrolls illustrate the artist’s exquisite technique and his sense of play: the expressions between the creatures is all too human, a quixotic merging of nature and man. The scrolls will be presented by Sebastian Izzard LLC Asian Art.

Illustrating a love of nature derived from spiritual adulation common in Japanese art are Landscapes and Birds of the Four Seasons, a pair of ink and color on gold-leaf six-panel Kyo-Kano screens (school of Mitsunobu/Takanobu) that date to the early 17th century. The beautifully painted screens, of rich colors and dynamic composition, are in pristine condition and were once in the Kyushu Daimyō collection, which included screens now in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands. They will be shown by Leighton R. Longhi, Inc. Oriental Fine Art.

In addition to JADA 2015, the members of JADA will hold exhibitions at their individual galleries: Erik Thomsen Gallery; Koichi Yanagi Oriental Fine Art; Leighton R. Longhi, Inc. Oriental Fine Arts; Mika Gallery; and Sebastian Izzard LLC Asian Art.

Eight prominent galleries affiliated with JADA – one from Asia, two from Europe, and five from the United States – that handle Japanese art will be exhibiting during Asia Week as well: Bachmann Eckenstein Japanese Art, of Basel, Switzerland; Floating World Gallery, of Chicago, IL; Giuseppe Piva Japanese Art, of Milan Italy; Hiroshi Yanagi Oriental Art, of Kyoto, Japan; Onishi Gallery, of New York, NY; Ronin Gallery, of New York, NY; Scholten Japanese Art of New York, NY; and The Art of Japan, of Medina, WA.

The auction house Bonhams will be active during Asia Week, as well, and Christie’s will be holding its annual auction of Japanese art in April.

Three notable and distinguished galleries that handle Japanese art have become affiliated with JADA in 2015 but will not be exhibiting in New York during Asia Week. Each is based in London, England: Grace Tsumugi Fine Art, Gregg Baker Asian Art, and Malcolm Fairley Ltd.