Opens August 14 through February 20, 2005
Freer Gallery of Art
This exhibition of Japanese paintings and screens depicting scenes of everyday life during the Edo-period (1615–1868) opens Aug. 14 to complement another exhibition on view at the Freer that focuses on Chinese scenes of work and commerce. "Life and Leisure: Everyday Life in Japanese Art" includes a wide variety of illustrations ranging from colorful paintings abuzz with activity and humor picturing the daily lives of peasants and entertainers, to glamorous images of female courtesans from the pleasure quarters fixing their lipstick or washing their hair. Several ceramic household or restaurant objects from the period, including a teapot and water caddy, water and sake bottles, a serving bowl, sushi bucket and storage jar are also on view.
Although people of various social classes pursuing everyday activities had long been pictured in the backgrounds of both religious and secular Japanese paintings, it was only in the late 16th century that contented commoners pictured at work or at play began to appear as an independent central subject of Japanese art.
Enjoy Japanese beauty
-Tomo