Japanese Art

For over a thousand years, Japanese artists have encountered new waves of influences. Many of these outside sources served as inspiration to reinvigorate Japanese artistry. Metalsmiths modified samurai armor to withstand firearms introduced by the Europeans. In the peaceful Edo period (1600-1868), artists transformed forging techniques to create movable animal sculptures that won worldwide praise. As Japan globalized during the Meiji age (1868-1912), some officials feared a tidal wave of foreign ideas would threaten the country’s artistic heritage. Yet it was the coming together of new and old, like imported dyes in woodblock prints, that revitalized historic themes for the modern age.

Visitors will see regular rotations of the Museum’s growing woodblock print collection. These rotations will feature works from various eras from well-known artists like Hiroshige, Hokusai, and Hasui.

The beginning of the UMFA’s collection of Japanese art dates to 1938, when Mr. and Mrs. James Franken donated more than thirty Edo period (1603–1868) woodblock prints to the University of Utah and its Park Building art gallery, which ultimately became the UMFA. Since then, gifts and purchases have added paintings in scroll and screen form, calligraphy, netsuke, ceramics, prints, swords, and a set of samurai armor.

• Watch and listen as curator Luke Kelly shares insights into works on view, and other objects in the UMFA’s Japanese art collection, in this fascinating presentation.
• Make a kite inspired by Japanese woodblock prints from the UMFA collection in this Third Saturday activity.