Titled “Japonisme: The Impact of Japanese Prints in 19th-Century Europe,” this exhibit opened April 21 and is on display through October 1st. Featuring a selection of prints and drawings from the late 19th century, the focus of the exhibition is on the influence and impact these Japanese prints had on avant-garde artists in Europe. European artists such as Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec will be shown juxtaposed to Japanese prints from the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection, including some Hiroshige, Hokusai, and Utamaro prints.
Also, the “Shijo School Surimono” exhibition is opening July 7–September 16, 2007. Surimono are a special category of traditional Japanese woodblock prints. These prints are limited editions and were privately produced and were rarely available for sale to the general public during the 19th century. High quality papers and pigments were used and often master artists created the designs and top master craftsmen were commissioned for the carving and printing. Most surimono also include a large number of poems on the prints. According to the Art Institute of Chicago’s website, they have an important collection of these works which are rarely exhibited and some pieces were selected to be displayed for the first time at the Museum.
Check out the Art Institute of Chicago’s website. Their Museum Shop has a few prints, books, and stationery related to Japanese art. Also – check out HomeMuseum.com’s selection of Hokusai prints from the Katsushika Hokusai Museum in Japan.
