LASTING IMPRESSIONS JAPANESE PRINTS FROM THE READ-SIMMS COLLECTION

Perhaps the best-known Japanese art form outside of the country since its doors reopened to the world in the 1850s, Japanese woodblock prints immediately captivated European and American audiences. The bold bright color schemes, novel vantage points, and audacious compositions with off-center subjects were a revelation to Westerners who were struck by the supreme artistry of these everyday objects.​

Lasting Impressions presents sixty of the finest Japanese prints from the Read-Simms Collection at the Gibbes Museum of Art. From famous Kabuki theater actors portrayed by Suzuki Harunobu and Tōshūsai Sharaku in the eighteenth century, to vibrant landscapes by Utagawa Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusai in the nineteenth century, the collection demonstrates the remarkable precision in print production long admired by collectors and artists alike. 

This exhibition allows visitors a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of print subjects and to better understand the nuanced culture of the Edo period through the particular genius of individual artists.

Credit: Overview from museum website