Gallery Talk: Japan on Paper

Date: 

Thursday, June 6, 2019, 12:30pm to 1:00pm

Repeats every week every Thursday until Thu Jun 13 2019 Also includes Wed Jul 10 2019, Tue Aug 06 2019

Location: 

Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street

Helen Swift, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History of Art and Architecture at Harvard, will give this gallery talk. The talk is offered in conjunction with the exhibition Japan on Paper, on view May 25 through August 11, 2019 in the University Study Gallery on Level 3.

Japan on Paper features almost 50 works spanning the history of Japanese woodblock printing, from the 17th through the 20th century; these include single-sheet prints, luxury surimono prints, printed handscrolls, and printed books by renowned designers such as Suzuki Harunobu (1725–1770), pioneer of the full-color print; landscape specialist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858); enigmatic designer Sharaku (active 1794–95); Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800); and the ever-popular Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849). Also included are modern “new print” (shin hanga) and “creative print” (sōsaku hanga) works by the leaders of these two 20th-century movements, as well as a selection of woodblock printing tools to enhance visitors’ understanding of the medium.

Our galleries are full of stories—this series of drop-in talks gives visitors a chance to hear the best ones! The talks highlight new works on view, take a fresh look at old favorites, investigate artists’ materials and techniques, and reveal the latest discoveries by curators, conservators, fellows, visiting artists, technologists, and other contributors.

Free with museums admission. Gallery talks are limited to 15 people and tickets are required. Ten minutes before each talk, tickets will become available at the admissions desk.

Please meet in the Calderwood Courtyard, in front of the digital screens between the shop and the admissions desk. Museums staff will be on hand to collect tickets.