Ukiyo-e at Cliffe Castle Museum brings a collection of woodblock prints portraying life in the latter years of Japan’s Edo period, roughly 1780 to 1867 to Keighley.
The free exhibition runs until March.
Some of the art on display in Cliffe Castle (Image: T&A)
What is the Ukiyo-e exhibition at Cliffe Castle Museum?
The main feature of the exhibition will be the woodblock prints, known as Ukiyo-e or ‘Pictures of the Floating World’.
Subjects range from landscapes and other features of the natural world to pictures of actors, courtesans and warriors, these will include prints of several female warriors and Saigo Takemori who became known as the ‘Last Samurai’
Some of the art on display in Cliffe Castle (Image: T&A)
The exhibition features work from most of the masters in this field including Hokusai and Hiroshige were both famed for their landscapes.
There will also be a section from a private collector, showing the changes that affected Japanese society in the Meiji period from 1867.
A samurai sword (Image: T&A)
Alongside the prints there will also be displays of Japanese arms and armour including a sword that believed to have been made around 1200AD.
Together with other objects that illustrate the phenomenal skills of Japanese artisans of the period.
Sculptures on display in Cliffe Castle (Image: T&A)
Where the exhibition has come from
Most of the collection was assembled by prominent local businessmen during the 19th century, who were both involved in textile manufacturing in Bradford.
Colonel HA Foster was managing director of John Foster Limited at Black Dyke Mills in Queensbury which made and supplied worsted materials.
It is believed that he made several visits to Japan on his yacht Portia to sell worsted material to the Japanese, who were keen to dress themselves in the finest cloth the west could offer.
The Colonel’s collection is the mainstay of the items donated to Bradford Council’s Museum Collection in 1923.
It is believed from conversations with his descendants, that his new wife did not share this interest, and that may have prompted his decision to donate these items when they moved into their new home.
One of the sculptures in the exhibition (Image: T&A)
‘Fascinating exhibition with exquisite pieces’
The other major donor was the Priestman’s – father and son, George and Ronald. Almost all of the Ukiyo-e in the exhibition came from the Priestman family.
The exhibition at Cliffe Castle coincides with a collaboration between the BBC, the British Museum, and museums across the UK, to support the release of landmark new BBC Arts series Civilisations: Rise and Fall, which begins this November on BBC Two and iPlayer.
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places said: “This is a fascinating exhibition with exquisite pieces of ukiyo-e art displayed alongside other interesting items of Japanese culture.”
AloJapan.com