"Dai Kai Ko" Exhibition

Finished

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the port of Yokohama, as well as the 20th anniversary of the Yokohama Museum of Art. In commemoration of these two events, the museum is holding this exhibition, "Dai Kai Ko - The Tokugawa Shogun Family and the Art of the Meiji Era". Commodore Perry and the America East Indies Fleet arrived in Yokohama in 1854 and concluded a treaty of amity the following year. In 1858, in accordance with the terms of a commercial treaty, five Japanese ports including Yokohama were opened up to five countries including America, marking the end of Japan's period of isolation from the world.

This exhibition, divided into three sections, features works of art from the late Edo and early Meiji eras, set against the background of political upheaval that accompanied the opening of the ports.

The first section focuses on the powerful ruling Tokugawa shogunate, who presided over a period of unmatched political and cultural achievement under a feudal system. On display are a variety of objects and relics that belonged to the shogun. The second section illuminates the conditions surrounding this period of great upheaval through a selection of historical materials, paintings, prints and photographs. Finally, the third section showcases an array of artworks and craft pieces produced under the aegis of the Meiji government's cultural policies, offering viewers a closer look at the new art that emerged as a result of the opening of Japan's ports to the world.

Schedule

Sep 19 (Sat) 2009-Nov 23 (Mon) 2009