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October Issue 2005
Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC,
Features Wood-block Exhibition
Katsushika Hokusai
The Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, is presenting the special exhibition, A Hard Day's Work, on view in the Japanese Print Gallery of the Gibbes through Jan. 29, 2006. This exhibition presents a selection of 17 wood-block prints from the Museum's renowned Read-Simms Collection.
A Hard Day's Work includes depictions of traditional jobs performed by rural citizens in pre-industrial Japan from the late eighteenth to the mid nineteenth century. Evolving from its use as book illustrations, the single sheet wood-block print reached its peak as an art form during Japan's Edo Period (1615 - 1868). Called ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world," the wood-block print was considered a popular art form, created solely for temporary pleasure and mass consumption. The exhibition showcases 17 boldly colorful and delicately intricate wood-block prints and allows the Museum visitor to travel back in time and observe the culture of early Japan.
Known primarily for its collection of American Art, the Gibbes Museum of Art has focused on acquiring specialized collections that represent the distinct patronage of the Lowcountry region. The origin of the Japanese print collection is closely tied to the city of Charleston and is indicative of the port city's long fascination with objects from the Far East. The Gibbes's collection of Japanese wood-block prints played a direct role in the artistic development of the Charleston Renaissance period, whose artists found inspiration in the dynamic compositions and bold color schemes of the wood-block prints.
Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston's historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works of fine art, principally American works with a Charleston or Southern connection. During 2005, the Gibbes Museum of Art celebrates the centennial anniversary of its Beaux-Arts building at 135 Meeting Street; enriching the lives of Charleston's residents and visitors through the visual arts for one hundred years.
For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum at 843/722-2706 or at (www.gibbesmuseum.org).
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