When East Meets West: Three Centuries of Artistic Discourse

Exhibition Website

Sep 28 2018 - Dec 9 2018

This exhibition will illustrate the rich cross-cultural influences between Japan and European and American artists from the late 17th to late 19th century. Prized works of Japanese porcelain dominated the decorative arts markets in Europe leading to the eventual creation of porcelain factories in Europe—most notably Meissen established under the patronage of Augustus the Strong of Saxony in 1710. Early Meissen wares sought to imitate the form and decoration of Japanese Arita and Kakiemon wares so prized by princely and aristocratic collectors in Germany, France and England in the 18th century.

When East Meets West will include numerous examples of late 17th and early 18th century Japanese porcelain from the John Lesh Jacobs Collection drawn from the permanent collections of OUMA and the High Museum. These works will be juxtaposed against exquisite examples of 18th century Meissen porcelain from the Warda Stout Collection borrowed from the Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

European and American artists of the 19th century artists would continue to draw inspiration from 18th and 19th century Japanese woodblock prints which began pouring into Europe in the 1860s ending years of Japanese isolationism. The group later to be known as the Impressionists would be profoundly influenced by such prints. The second half of the exhibition will contain 19th century works on paper by Japanese artists to include Hokusai, Utamaro and Hiroshege as well as Impressionist masterpieces by Pissarro, Boudin, Cézanne, Cassatt, Homer and Reid from the permanent collections of OUMA and institutional and private collections.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website

  • Various Media
  • International
  • Katsushika Hokusai
  • Kitagawa Utamaro
  • Camille Pissarro
  • Eugène Boudin
  • Paul Cézanne
  • Mary Cassatt
  • and others

Exhibition Venues & Dates