Through the Seasons: Japanese Art in Nature (Clark Art Institute)

The arts of Japan have been inextricably linked with nature, whether through traditional themes of seasonal change or through objects whose shape, materials, or decorative elements evoke natural motifs. This book provides an overview of the history of Japanese paintings of nature, demonstrating not only the importance of seasonal imagery but also the range of painting styles popular during the period from the late seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries.

 

Published to accompany an exhibition at the Clark’s Stone Hill Center, Through the Seasons features a broad range of works from the rich Edo period (1615–1868). Included are magnificent large screen paintings and hanging scrolls by Yosa Buson, Suzuki Kiitsu, and Ikeda Koson. A selection of contemporary ceramics, many never before published, reflects how today’s artisans have adapted the traditional aesthetic.

 

The handsomely produced volume features stunning color photography of all works in the exhibition, including spectacular gate-folds of the large-scale screens.