Enfilade

Now on view at The Met:

Anxiety and Hope in Japanese Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 8 April 2023 — 14 July 2024 (in four rotations)

Suzuki Harunobu, Young Woman Riding a Carp, 1760s, woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper 26 × 20 cm (New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, JP1647). Here, the image of a young woman parodies the Daoist immortal Qin Gao, an auspicious figure who rides a carp. On display for rotation 4.

Drawn largely from The Met’s renowned collection of Japanese art, this exhibition explores the twin themes of anxiety and hope, with a focus on the human stories in and around art and art making. The exhibition begins with sacred images from early Japan that speak to concerns about death, dying, and the afterlife or that were created in response to other uncertainties, such as war and natural disaster. The presentation then proceeds chronologically, highlighting medieval Buddhist images of paradises and hells, Zen responses to life and death, depictions of war and pilgrimage, and the role of protective and hopeful images in everyday life. In the final galleries, the exhibition’s underlying themes are explored through a selection of modern woodblock prints, garments, and photographs.

Rotation 1 | 8 April — 13 August 2023
Rotation 2 | 26 August — 26 November 2023
Rotation 3 | 16 December 2023 — 14 April 2024
Rotation 4 | 27 April — 14 July 2024

The exhibition is made possible by The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation Fund.