Nyoirin Kannon; Kamakura period, early 14th century; Japanese cypress (hinoki) with pigment, gold powder, and cut gold leaf (kirikane); H. 19 1/2 x W. 15 x D. 12 in.; Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.205; Photo credit: Photography by Synthescape, courtesy of Asia
Felice Fischer – As curator of the exhibition, Ink and Gold: Art of the Kano, on view now at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I often am asked, “which painting do you like best?” This is a difficult question to answer, akin to asking a parent to name a favorite
Bonsai cultivation is a paradox. It requires you to manipulate nature, but also yield to nature’s supremacy. Our modern lifestyle is controlled by our cellphone clocks and Google calendars, but the patience inherent in growing bonsai renders the practice an act of faith in nature, for nature’s timetable is paramount
Appreciation for graphic art and visual narrative is prevalent in Japanese pop culture from the fantastical animations of Hayao Miyazaki to page-turning manga comic books and cartoon anime characters appearing on everything from book bags to pencil cases. This love for the illustrated arts is the product of Japan’s rich
The recent opening of “Ike Taiga and Tokuyama Gyokuran: Japanese Masters of the Brush” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art has been generating a bit of media buzz, with the NY Times calling the show “exhilarating in its profusion, range and almost ferocious vitality.” The Philadelpia Inquirer hailed the first