Eastern Block, First Floor

Waterfall, embroidered silk textile,
Japan,late 19th century.

Satsuma ware,Japan,19th century.

Imari porcelain, Japan, 18th century.

Far Eastern Collection: Japan

The arts of China and Japan are well represented in the Far Eastern collections compromising around 5000 objects. It is said that Salar Jung III acquired about 40% of his collection and 60% was family heirloom. Though Japan is looked upon as a natural corollary to China from the standpoint of culture and history, it has evolved into a separate entity itself in the realm of arts as well as culture. The Japanese collection in the museum has its own identity and distinction, It comprises of porcelain, enamels, woodcuts, watercolor paintings and silks.

A considerable amount of Japanese porcelain in the museum consists mainly of ‘Blue and White’ works of Arita, Imari, Hirado, Seto, Kioto and Satsuma. The earliest pieces in the museum’s collection are the blue and white porcelain of Arita datable to the 17th century.

The collection of ‘Imari’ porcelain in the museum is interesting, porcelain of this group is heavy, coarse and greyish but its roughness is concealed by masses of dark blue set off with Indian red and gilding. With the discovery of porcelain stone in the province of Kaga in western Hondo a factory was started at Kutani in mid-17th century. Among the different types produced by his celebrated factory the museum possesses a good number of Kutani type.

The collection of woodblock prints or wood block cuts in the Japanese section is very significant to understand. The woodcut is the national mode of engraving for the Japanese and has been carried out since. The museum possesses a good amount of works by acclaimed masters as Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.

The collection of Japanese watercolor paintings on silk as well as paper is interesting from the point of themes in folk-lore and nature and for their delicate rendering. Noteworthy are two paintings done by well-known artists Nishiyama Hoen of Shoujo School of mid-19th century.

The collection of Japanese watercolor paintings on silk as well as paper is interesting from the point of themes in folk-lore and nature and also for their delicate rendering. Noteworthy are two paintings done by well-known artists Nishiyama Hoyen of Shujo School of mid-19th century.