Renowned Japanese Cultural Treasures Come to DC this Spring

WASHINGTON, DC is the first western city to host three major ensembles of masterworks by distinguished Edo period artists—an unprecedented moment for lovers of Japanese art!

One of Japan’s most renowned cultural treasures will come to Washington, DC, in celebration of the centennial of Japan’s gift of 3,000 cherry trees to the nation’s capital. Entitled Colorful Realm of Living Beings (J. Dōshoku sai-e; c. 1757–1766), this 30-scroll set of bird-and-flower paintings on silk is the centerpiece of the landmark exhibition Colorful Realm: Japanese Bird-and-Flower Paintings by Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800), on view at the National Gallery of Art’s West Building from March 30 through April 29, 2012. Exhibited for four weeks only (owing to their fragility), these works will be in Washington during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from March 20 through April 27, 2012.

Colorful Realm of Living Beings has never been shown in its entirety outside of Japan. It will be installed with Jakuchū’s Śākyamuni Triptych (The Buddha Śākyamuni, Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, and Bodhisattva Samantabhadra) and other related works.




Itō Jakuchū, Old Pine Tree and Peacock (J. Rōshō kujaku zu), c. 1759–1761 (Hōreki 9–11), ink and color on silk, with gold, from Colorful Realm of Living Beings (J. Dōshoku sai-e), set of 30 vertical hanging scrolls, c. 1757–1766, Sannomaru Shōzōkan (The Museum of the Imperial Collections), The Imperial Household Agency



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