When: closing January 24, 2019*
As hard as it may be to believe in an time when Japan is a major modern country, fully a part of world culture and politics, there was a time when it was closed off from the rest of the world. It was only in 1853 when it was thrust onto the world stage. With the arrival of Europeans, new influences began to intrude on traditional Japanese life. One of these influences was photography.
Woodblock printmakers were forced to adapt their craft to differentiate their work from the new and desirable photographs available to Japanese art lovers. This is a story that plays out in every country - the attraction of novelty threatens the appreciation of tradition. So what is an artist to do? This show answers that question, as it pertains to 19th century Japanese printmaking.
After the collapse of their industry, printmakers very astutely realized that photography could not capture night scenes (obviously, that's no longer true, but we're talking about early photography), so that's where they turned their attention. I was strongly reminded of the exhibit of Whistler Nocturnes I saw here (or was it at the Freer?) a while back. Evocative of shadows and intrigue, the prints give the viewer a sense of place, as if one is stepping into a scene in a noir novel.
Verdict: Well worth seeing, if you like prints or Japanese art.
*Due to the government shutdown, the Smithsonian is currently closed.
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