Contents
Outline
The Museum Collection: Color and Quality
Period Tuesday, March 12 – Monday, May 6, 2024
Venue Special Exhibition Gallery A, National Museum of Japanese History
Hours 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (entrance closed at 4:30 p.m.)
* Open hours and days are subject to change.
Closed Mondays
* The Museum is not closed on Monday, Apr 29.

Outline

We planned this special exhibition to focus on the theme of the “color” of materials from the museum collection. Here, we consider the word “color” in a larger sense, not only in terms of red, yellow, blue, etc., but also in terms of the texture of the material, the luster produced by the fine structures of the materials, and the “form” created by the combination of these elements.

The exhibition features materials from the museum collection with distinctive "color, luster, and form" and provides displays and explanations from the perspectives of history, archaeology, folklore, and natural science, and considers the relationship between color and humans in Japan. From color as a symbol of authority or fear, to color as a craft produced by artisans – focusing on the keyword “color”, we will draw out a wide variety of aspects of our museum’s collection.

Highlights of the exhibition

  • Architectural paintings, textile crafts, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, lacquer crafts, archeological artifacts, meteoric iron swords – introducing the Rekihaku's diverse collection of artifacts, the "color, luster, and form" of these materials will be considered in relation to their meanings in people’s daily lives
  • Why are you in the Rekihaku? Two architectural coloring models later inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, made by two craftsmen who themselves would later become holders of master titles in the "building coloring" preservation technique certified by the Agency for Cultural Affairs! Exhibition premier of the color model of the five-storied Daigo-ji pagoda!
  • Reading dyeing and weaving culture from kire (fabric pieces): “Men's” and “Women's” kimono order samples - ancient dyeing and weaving techniques conveyed by jōdai gire
  • The meaning behind two “red” nishiki-e woodblock print styles: hōsō-e and kaika-e
  • Enjoy the rich world of colors and textures of lacquer crafts, stretching from maki-e, over raden crafts, up to colored lacquer!
  • Explore the meaning of "color" in ancient Japan through Kofun period jewelry, earthenware, and metal art! The reproductions of vivid decorative wall paintings are a must-see!
  • A display of swords made purely from meteoric iron! There are a number of swords made from meteoric iron, but only one wakizashi in the entire world is forged in the same folded shape as Japanese katanas! And how did it find its way into the Rekihaku’s collection?

Composition of the Exhibition

*Chapter structures and exhibited works are subject to change. There will be planned changes to the exhibition during the exhibition period.

1. Two Architectural Coloring Models - Why Are You in the Rekihaku? -

Much of the painted architectural cultural heritage has deteriorated or crumbled away, making it difficult to get a full view of these buildings. In order to restore the gorgeous colors of the past, academics and artisan masters have over and over refined their approaches, to eventually create full-scaled color models. Experience these colors that have been lost at their original sites here at our museum.

--1) Color Model of the Five-Storied Daigo-ji Pagoda

Color model of the five-storied Daigo-ji pagoda, collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

The inner sanctum of the national treasure that is the five-storied Daigo-ji pagoda, which was disassembled for repairs between 1954 and 1960, was once painted with colorful mandalas. The color restorations were carried out by Yamazaki Shojiro (1927-1993), who was later recognized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as a master of the certified "building coloring" preservation technique. Yamazaki conducted a meticulous survey of the site and traced hints of coloring to create black-and-white drawings. This will be the first time for this Yamazaki- reconstructed color model and its black-and-white drawing to be exhibited at the Rekihaku.

This model was transferred from the Agency for Cultural Affairs to the Rekihaku when the museum was establishment in the 1980s, and its history remained unknown for a long time. Upon further investigation on the occasion of this exhibition, we learned that this piece was produced between 1956 and 1957 as part of the "Reproduction and Reproduction of National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties" project by the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Properties, the predecessor of the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

 

① Color model of the five-storied Daigo-ji pagoda: Pillar ro-1 (lower part of the timber framework) [Yamazaki Shojiro], collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

What remained of the original coloring was described in detail.

 

--2) Color Model of Wooden Roof Support Brackets of the Phoenix Hall in Byōdō-in

Color model of wooden roof support brackets of the Phoenix Hall in Byōdō-in, collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

This is a color model of a part of the ceiling support structure of the Phoenix Hall of the Byōdō-in, a national treasure. Kawamo Ryoichi (1914-2005) applied the colors on the basis of a copy of drawings made during its Shōwa restoration (1950-1957). Kawamo was also recognized as a master of the certified preservation technique in 1997. The model in this exhibition has been recolored by Kawamo after subsequent research. Later, in the Heisei restoration (2012-2014), a new interpretation was added and a new color reproduction was made. This model has gained a new meaning as a document that demonstrates the work of those who have engaged in the restoration of lost architectural coloring.

 

2. Bodies Clad in Colors - Colors and Patterns in Dyeing and Weaving Crafts -

We have selected previously unexhibited materials with interesting colors and textures from the Rekihaku's extensive collection of textile artifacts.

--1) Kimono Order Samples - Differences between Kimono for Men and Women -

Dyers, at times, created color samples in order to receive orders. In the case of kimonos, there are differences in the color samples for men and women. While the samples for men are purely color samples, the ones for women are comprehensive design samples that combine colors and patterns. Utilizing materials actually used in ordering processes from the Edo to Meiji periods, we look at the differences between men’s and women’s samples, starting with their colors.

Kotobuki-in iro tehon (Edo to Meiji period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History
Color samples distributed by a dyeing company in Kyoto.
Yūzenzome Mihon-chō (Meiji period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History
Sample of formal women's kimonos created by a dyeing company in Yamagata.

 

--2) Kōko Rikon - What Jōdai Gire Tell us in the Present -

These are fragments of old dyed fabrics dating back to the Asuka and Nara periods, called jōdai gire. Most of them were bequeathed to Nara’s Hōryū-ji and Shōsō-in and are known as “Hōryū-ji gire” and “Shōsō-in gire”. They are valuable artifacts that convey ancient dyeing and weaving techniques to the present day.

*Kōko Rikon: An attitude of learning about good old things and trying to apply them to the modern world.

Hōryū-ji gire-chō (Nara period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History
A collection of small pieces of dyed textiles said to have come from the Hōryū-ji. These include prominent pieces that are representative of the Hōryū-ji.

 

3. Two Kinds of “Aka-e” - Colors Make Culture, Culture Makes Colors -

There are two types of ukiyo-e woodblock prints that were called "aka-e" (red pictures). One are “hōsō-e”, the other are “kaika-e”. Both are dominantly drawn in red, but the reasons and meanings behind their “reds” are quite different. By daring to exhibit two semantically very different types of ukiyo-e side by side, we draw attention to the interesting relationship between color and people.

--1) Hōsō-e

⑤ Hōsō-e (Inu hariko to tai kuruma ‘Papier-mâché dog and seabream cart’) painted by Utagawa Hiroshige (end of Tenpō period, mid-19th century), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History
Exhibition period: first half (March 12th to April 7th)

Originally, these were to be detached from each other, resulting in two separate hōsō-e, but this piece shows them in their undetached form.
Here we introduce hōsō-e (literally smallpox pictures), which were given to children who had contracted smallpox. They were also called aka-e, because they were printed in only one color, red. Typical subjects include Bodhidharma, Mt. Fuji, the deity Shōki, and the samurai Minamoto no Tametomo. The color red is meant to ward off calamity and evil spirits.

 

--2) Kaika-e

Some of the nishiki-e are called "kaika-e", as they depict the changing landscape and customs of Tokyo after the Meiji Restoration, which saw the introduction of Western-style architecture. These are also called "aka-e", because of their extensive use of red pigments among their intense coloration. The bright red color conveys the festive mood of the “opening” of the country after centuries of isolation.

Tōkyō Meisho Dai’ichi no Shōkei Bakusui-Tsutsumi Hanazakari no Zu (‘Beautiful Sceneries of Famous Places in Tokyo No. 1, A Picture of Full Bloom Along the Sumida River’), painted by Utagawa Hiroshige III (Meiji year 14), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History
Exhibition period: second half (April 9th to May 6th)

 

[Column] Materials for Coloring Education in the Early Meiji Period

Nishiki-e color chart (early Meiji period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History
Exhibition period: first half (March 12th to April 7th)
In 1873, just after the installation of the "school system" in the previous year, color education using "color charts" was introduced in elementary schools. To compensate for the shortage of textbooks, the Ministry of Education authorized each prefecture to publish books explaining the "color chart", and so many different variations of the "color chart" were produced. This color education, however, disappeared only six years later with the promulgation of a new "Education Ordinance" in 1879.

 

4. Color in Lacquer Craft - Maki-e, Raden, Iro Urushi -

Until the pre-modern era, lacquer was available in only five colors, but the subtle hues created by maki-e and raden (mother-of-pearl inlay) are one of the charms of lacquer craft. While focusing on the details of the lacquerware in the museum's collection, we will explore the technical ingenuity used to create the delicate colors from the limited combination of materials.

⑧ Pillbox with four-seasons flowers and birds motif inlaid with fan-shaped scattered maki-e lacquer-work – trademark “Yasumasa” (Edo period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History ⑨ Raden-decorated game box depicting morning glories and birds (Edo to Meiji period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History ⑩ Lacquer-painted tray with rabbits and moon (Edo period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

⑪ Large, round table with a motif of flowers and birds, ensemble with butterfly-motif tripod (Edo to Meiji period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

 

5. Colors of the Kofun Tumuli - ”Objects” and “Space” -

During the Kofun period, society in the Japanese archipelago underwent major changes. Iron tools spread, new Sue pottery vessels appeared, and the people began to use horses. In this era of change, colors developed along with shapes in a variety of ways. We will look at the changes in society by focusing on the various ways in which color was “shared”.

--1) Adorning One’s Body With Color

Jade beads, such as magatama and tubular kudatama beads, adorned the bodies of kings and elites throughout the Kofun period. Various materials such as jasper, agate, crystals, amber, and glass were utilized to add vivid colors to the body. Initially, blue and green were the main colors, but as time went on, red, yellow, and colorless pieces, as well as other colors were eventually added. At the end of the Kofun period, various "shapes" and "colors" adorned the bodies of kings and elites.

⑫ Personal accessories excavated from the Da’notsuka Kofun tumulus (Kofun period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

--2) Azure and Vermilion and Brightness

The appearance of kofun tumuli was a very significant common change throughout the archipelago. They shared the same "form" of burial facilities and funerary goods left with the dead. The main funerary goods were mirrors, swords, wearable jades and bracelet-shaped stoneware, with gold and silver luster and green and blue hues. On the other hand, burial facilities and coffins are sometimes painted red, and mirrors and other objects are sometimes covered with vermilion. Some of the more unusual pieces are stone products with vermilion-colored strings painted onto them. The beginning of the Kofun period is captured by the luster of gold and silver and the color scheme of green, blue, and red.

⑬ Sekisei Gōsu vessels excavated from the Maetsuka Kofun tumulus (Kofun period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

--3) Clad in Gold and Silver

In the middle of the Kofun period vivid exchange with the Korean peninsula started. Beginning with iron, new metal crafting techniques were introduced, and various forms of molding and shaping were discovered. Crowns and belt, swords, and the horses of nobles – all were adorned with the glitter of gold and silver. Clad in gold and silver, they mirrored the path of society's progress toward greater complexity and nation-building.

⑭ Sword with gilt bronze scabbard excavated from Kabuki tumulus No. 5 (Kofun period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

--4) Red Vessels and Black Vessels

During the Kofun period, new colors for “vessels” also appeared. Influenced by the Korean peninsula, Sue pottery appeared and quickly spread around the various regions of Japan. Sue pottery has dark colors such as gray and black, and is a counterpart to the red and brown earthenware used earlier. This contrast between dark and light colors would go on to continue throughout history. Here we try to capture the beginning of the cultural ideas of uchi (inside) and soto (outside), as they were reflected in the color of vessels.

⑮ Haji pottery and Sue pottery excavated from the Miyauchi Ōgetayama Kofun tumulus (Kofun period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

--5) Mural Coloring

The understanding of colors by the people of the time is also evident in the color schemes of the decorated kofun tumuli. Toward the end of the Kofun period, decorated kofun tumuli, painted in red, white, blue (green), and yellow, appeared in Kyushu. This color scheme can also be seen in the coloring of textiles and anthropomorphic haniwa clay figurines. To put these in contrast, we capture the “color schemes” of this period, which were composed of many different colors.

⑯ Duplicate of the right side wall of the front doorway of the front room of the Ōdsuka Kofun (original piece: Kofun period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History ⑰ Duplicate of the back wall of the rear room of the Mezurashidsuka Kofun (original piece: Kofun period), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History

 

6. Swords Made of Meteoric Iron – The Texture of Meteoric Iron Brought Forth by the Widmannstetten Pattern -

Humanity's use of iron is believed to have begun with meteoritic iron (iron meteorites), an iron-nickel alloy. In Japan, swords have been made by cutting out, heating, forging, and mixing in tamahagane (traditional Japanese steel) from the iron of tatara furnaces. What we display here, are swords made entirely of meteoric iron. The world's only wakizashi (short sword) made entirely of meteoric iron, without any mixture and using the same folding and forging technique as for Japanese katana, will also be on display.

Afuri-no-Tsurugi, a wakizashi made of iron from the Gibeon meteorite, with inscription (present day), collection of the National Museum of Japanese History
The world's only wakizashi made only from meteoric iron, in a process of seven repetitions of folding and forging, just like Japanese katanas