Japan: Courts and Culture

Excellent exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace looking at objects from Japan in the Royal Collection.

The show seamlessly blended a number of narratives from the history of British/Japanese relationships, through the techniques used to make the objects to the taste of various members of the Royal Family. I loved the inclusion of some tourist pieces bought by George V when on a trip to Japan when he was in the navy.

As ever at this gallery there was a very good audio tour which gave more information without getting in the way of you enjoying the objects.

There was an impressive array of Samurai armour and weapons which, I’m afraid leave me a bit cold, but I did loved some glittery spears covered in tiny Mother of Pearl shards.

There were some elegant objects. I loved an enamel bowl where the metal lining had been dissolved away to leave just the enamel with light shining through. Also the embroidered screen at the end with a wonderful landscape. I wanted one of the woodblock prints of vases of flowers by Urushibara Yoshijiro who came over to Britain for the 1910 Japan- British exhibition and stayed.

Closes 26 February 2023


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