![]() Precise geometric forms, absence of ornament, sleek reflective surfaces, and elegant proportions characterize this urn. These elements express the new style that came to be associated with progress, optimism, and forward-looking American industrial design in the early 20th century.įinnish-born architect Eliel Saarinen first designed this urn for a 1934 exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art entitled Contemporary American Industrial Art. However, they are also executed with subtle washes of ink and color so that the overall effect still appears painterly. The seasonal flowers and plants are beautifully depicted in soft brushwork, retaining enough clarity and detail so that the species may be readily identified with botanical precision. These screens illustrate a significant painting style first developed by Tawaraya Sōtatsu (active c.1600–1642), a co-founder of the Rinpa school in the early 17th century. The other screen consists of amaranthus, begonia, chrysanthemum, the “seven grasses of autumn” (bush clover, eulalia, Japanese arrowroot, dianthus, patrinia, thoroughwort, and mistflower), Chinese bellflower, rose mallow, Japanese aster, arrow bamboo, Japanese narcissus, and grape. One screen includes yellow rose, Japanese dandelion, tree peony, dianthus, cymbidium, Oriental poppy, cow lily, rabbit-ear iris, hydrangea, morning glory, and arrow bamboo. This pair of screens features a variety of plant and flower species from spring and summer to fall and winter. A government facility in the Ryūkyū royal capital, Shuri, was responsible for managing the production of exquisite objects used as tribute gifts for the emperor of China as well as the shōgun (military dictator) and daimyō (feudal lords) in Japan. The distinctive tradition of lacquerware, seen in this dish, developed in the Ryūkyū Kingdom (1429–1879) through its trade with neighboring countries and became an important export. The decorative motifs are represented with thin iridescent mother-of-pearl from the shells of abalone, which are found in the waters of the Ryūkyūs, a chain of small islands in the Pacific Ocean between Taiwan and Japan. The rounded sides are divided into eight sections, alternately adorned with four different Buddhist emblems and with hexagonal patterns. The bold decoration features two five-clawed dragons amidst clouds encircling a flaming pearl in the center. The interior of this large circular lacquered dish is inlaid with exquisite mother-of-pearl.
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