Day 20 – 2/17/14: Japanese

Fudo Myo-o, 12th Century

Two days later, we saw an exhibit at the New York Historic Society in the morning and came back to the Met in the afternoon. I started by running around to a few areas of the museum where I needed photos for the blog.

Detail from Suzuki Kutsu, The Demon Shutendoji on Mt. Oe

After lunch we returned to the Asian section and saw the Japanese galleries. The first several rooms displayed Buddhas and other religious art dating back to the 13th Century. The remaining galleries were an exhibit of paintings from the Edo Period (1615-1868), a variety of beautiful screens and scrolls. Subjects ranged from classic Japanese scenery and nature studies, to religious pilgrimages, to the goings on in the "pleasure district." Apparently the paintings here and elsewhere in the Asian section are rotating exhibits. In other words, my notion to see all the permanent displays in the Met would is impossible because it is always changing -- but at least I can see all the rooms.