If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
This page was originally part of a book. Paper came into widespread use in India in the seventeenth century, but palm leaves continued to be used for manuscripts in regions where the material was abundant, such as Gujarat and Orissa.
To produce a manuscript, palm leaves were smoothed, dried, and cut to a uniform shape. Letters were incised with a sharp tool, and then the incision was filled with charcoal dust and the surface burnished. A hole was cut in the center of the leaf to allow a sheaf to be strung together, keeping the leaves in order. Both sides of a leaf would be used, and the book would be read by flipping over pages one at a time
Exhibited in "Divine Encounters, Earthly Pleasures: Twenty Centuries of Indian Art," 12/12/03-2/22/04.
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In this scene from everyday life, two women greet a man in front of a marble pavilion. Each of the figures appears in a restrained pose, standing erect with bent arms held close to the body, and a calm facial expression. But the exchange of intense gazes suggests it is no mere social call.
This painting is from Nurpur, a small state in the Punjab Hills. Compared to paintings from neighboring states, such as Basohli and Mankot, works from Nurpur employ a darker palette—instead of pure hues, there are brick reds, mustard yellows, olive greens—and figures are elongated. Although the compositions may seem static, they can be quite arresting on their own terms.
Exhibited in "Divine Encounters, Earthly Pleasures: Twenty Centuries of Indian Art" at UMMA, 12/12/03–2/22/04.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
194.31 cm x 63.5 cm x 63.5 cm (76 1/2 in. x 25 in. x 25 in.)
Label Copy
President's Houose object Summary
The term Imari ware refers to Japanese ceramics produced in the town of Arita in the old Hizen province, now Saga Prefecture. Porcelain objects designed in Arita were exported--most notably by the Dutch East India Company--through the nearby port of Imari. The first porcelain deposits were discovered by archaeologists in this area, and Arita is now known as a key source of porcelain technology in Japan.
Imari ware involves overglaze enamel on gray porcelain. Fine Imari porcelain exhibits a milk-white color with a glaze of close texture and a rather greasy sheen. Lower quality works appear grayish with glazes that are apt to crack and discolor. Subject matter generally includes Chinese Ming Dynasty-style landscapes, auspicious charactuer (for long life, prosperity, happiness, etc.), and repeated floral motifs that establish a stable formality. Imari artists expanded upon images in paintings, book illustrations, gold lacquer ware, and silk brocade fabrics.
During the Meiji Restoriation a second type of ware was developed at Arita solely for European trade. These large, heavily lacquered vases featured complex, asymmetrical designs surrounded by mixed brocade patterns, much like the deisgns that appear at the top and base of this vase. The design, along with the vase's shape, size and scalloped lid, make this work an excellent example of export porcelain.
Since overglaze enamel techniques developed simultaneously in Kutani (located in what is now the Ishikawa Prefecture) and Arita, and the products of these two regions often feature similar deisgns and almost identical inscriptions, there is still controversy over the relationship between Kutani and Imari wares. Since Kutani wares are considered to be the most prized of Japanese porcelain, traders in the late19th century exercised the phrase, "Buy Arita, sell Kutani."
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
Relevant information pertaining to the five Orders of Architecture follows:
DORIC: Named after the Dorian Greeks who occupied the mainland of Greece and its colonies, it is the earliest Order in Greek architecture. The design of the entablature, especially the use of Triglyphs (blocks with vertical channels) reflects its probable evolvement from timber prototypes. Signifying sturdiness and dignity, the architectural proportions of the Order were supposedly derived from the proportion of man. Columns almost always have a shallow fluting and no base, resting directly on the stylobate. The design of the pediment frequently provided a setting for sculpture, an important supplement to Greek building, especially temples.
TUSCAN: A simplified version of the Doric Order, it was developed by the Romans and never used by the Greeks. With an unfluted shaft resting on a base, capped by a simply moulded capital, its use was limited to the early years of the Roman republic. Frequently used in mausoleum design, its utter simplicty created an atmosphere of somberness.
IONIC: Supposedly manifesting an Asiatic (Persia, Assyria and Asia Minor) origin, the most distinctive and conspicuous features of the Order lie in a) the slender fluted columns, which according to Vitruvius expressed femininity, and b) the Volultes (scrolls or spirals) and Ovola (convex moulding of egg and dart, or egg and tongue) in the capital. Important examples of the Order are the north porch of the Erechtheum and the Niké Apertos (Athena Niké) which stands on the Athens Acropolis.
CORINTHIAN: Named after the city of Corinth, Greece, it is the third Order of Greek architecture. It was the favorite Order of the Romans because its ornateness expressed their national love of power and grandeur. Three distinguishing characteristics of the Order are a) a tall bell shaped capital, b) a series of Modillions (small brackets that support the cornice), and c) general richness of detail, enhanced by the use of the Acantus leaf in both the capital and Modillions. The order was little used by the Greeks.
COMPOSITE: Invented by the Romans and similar to the Corinthian order, but heavier, with fewer and larger details. The major change is the capital, which consists of the upper part of the Ionic capital and the lower part of the Corinthian capital. It is the wholly Roman order and was used on triumphal arches, monuments and baths. The name Composite was not created until the Renaissance.
I am much indebted to Nathan T. Whitman, Professor Emeritus of History of Art, University of Michigan, for serviceable criticism and suggestions while preparing this text.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
In this image there are two containers holding pink flowers. The larger of the two vessels in the foreground and slightly to the left of center. To the lower right of this vessel is an array of fruits (presumably grapes and peaches). The other smaller vessel is directly behind the fruits.
Subject Matter
Park Choon Mook
- Special Selection from Korean National Art Exhibition (3 times)
- Invited Artist to National Contemporary Art Gallery
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Dark, wet ink wash and light accents of color capture the lyrical mood of an autumnal moonlit night at Lake Tai and Mount Dongting. A round moon hangs low in the sky at top right, with a diffuse glow slightly brightening the clouds and sky below. Two islands sit in the water below, the larger (closer) of the two has four boats moored just offshore. Up close the boats appear as freely brushed lines, and yet at a distance, their forms come into focus. A building sits on the closer island, light shining in the windows. The silhouette of a pagoda can be seen on the further island.
Subject Matter
A Shanghai artist of the early twentieth century. Having traveled to Japan, Wu appears to have been aware of both Japanese-and European-style painting, drawing upon these to expand his artistic vision. Subtle use of loose brushwork suggests Impressionism, marking the beginning of a new phase in the development of Chinese painting.
Label Copy
Inscription: Autumn Moon at Mount Dongting. Summer, 1903. Shixian
Seal of the artist
A Shanghai artist of the early twentieth century, Wu Qingyun uses dark, wet ink wash and light accents of color to capture the lyrical mood of an autumnal moonlit night at Lake Tai and Mount Dongting. Having traveled to Japan, Wu appears to have been aware of both Japanese art and European Impressionism, expanding his artistic vision. Up close the boats appear as freely brushed lines and yet at a distance, their forms come into focus. This subtle use of loose brushwork suggests impressionism, marking the beginning of a new phase in the development of Chinese painting.
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A Shanghai artist of the early twentieth century, Wu Qingyun uses dark, wet ink wash and light accents of color to capture the lyrical mood of an autumnal moonlit night at Lake Tai and Mount Dongting. Having traveled to Japan, Wu appears to have been aware of both Japanese-and European-style painting, drawing upon these to expand his artistic vision. Up close the boats appear as freely brushed lines, and yet at a distance, their forms come into focus. This subtle use of loose brushwork suggests Impressionism, marking the beginning of a new phase in the development of Chinese painting.
(Chinese Gallery Rotation, Fall 2010)
Gallery Rotation Fall 2010
Wu Qingyun
China, 1845–1916
Autumn Moon at Mt. Dongting
Qing Period (1644–1912)
1903
Hanging scroll, ink, and light color on paper
Gift of John Schloss, 1998/2.7
A Shanghai artist of the early twentieth century, Wu Qingyun uses dark, wet ink wash and light accents of color to capture the lyrical mood of an autumnal moonlit night at Lake Tai and Mount Dongting. Having traveled to Japan, Wu appears to have been aware of both Japanese-and European-style painting, drawing upon these to expand his artistic vision. Up close the boats appear as freely brushed lines, and yet at a distance, their forms come into focus. This subtle use of loose brushwork suggests Impressionism, marking the beginning of a new phase in the development of Chinese painting.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
A great admirer of Rembrandt's prints, Boissieu was a largely self-taught artist. He traveled to Italy in 1765-66 and his prints of the Roman Campagna are representative of older traditions.
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Born July 10, 1834 in Lowell, Massachusetts, the son of George Washington Whistler, a draftsman and civil engineer. In 1842 the senior Whistler was employed by the Russian government to help build a railroad between St. Petersburg and Moscow. James Whistler thus spent seven years of his youth in Russia (1842-49). In 1851 he entered West Point Academy but was discharged in 1854, for deficiency in chemistry. He worked as a draftsman from 1854 to 1855 in the U. S. Coast Survey, Washington, D.C., where he also learned to etch. In 1855 he left the United States for Paris and, after five years in France, settled in London. He never returned to the United States. He enjoyed great success in his life, as a painter and printmaker, but also struggled for acceptance and endured times of financial hardship.
Whistler studied at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia and at West Point Academy, but probably received his earliest artistic training from his father. In 1856 he entered the studio of Marc-Gabriel Charles Gleyre in Paris and became acquainted with Henri Martin, Henri Oulevey, George du Maurier, E. G. Poynter and L. M. Lamont. In 1858 Whistler met Fantin-Latour at the Louvre. Fantin-Latour took him to the Cafe Molière, where he met Legros, Carolus-Duran and Astruc and to the Brasserie Andler, the meeting place of Courbet and his followers. Fantin, Whistler, and Legros formed their own society, the Société des Trois in the same year. Later, in 1865, Albert Moore replaced Legros as the third member of the Société.
Whistler submitted the painting, At the Piano, to the Salon in 1859. Rejected by the Salon, the painting was exhibited in Francois Bonvin's studio. This was also the first painting by Whistler exhibited in Britain, at the Royal Academy, in 1860. Among Whistler's principal patrons early in his career include F. R. Leyland and W. C. Alexander and among major works he produced at this time are portraits of family members of these two men.
In England, Whistler became acquainted with the pre-Raphaelite circle of artists. He began collecting Japanese art and curios in the early 1860s and also is known to have visited the Salon des Refusés in Paris when many of the Impressionist painters were exhibiting there. Whistler's many connections with contemporary artists and wide interests make him an artist difficult to pigeonhole.
Two events in Whistler's life perhaps shed some light on his character: he sued John Ruskin for libel in 1877 (the fees incurred during the case forced him to declare bankruptcy in 1879) and in 1890 he published a book "The Gentle Art of Making Enemies."
Whistler married Beatrix Godwin, widow of E. W. Godwin, in 1888. She preceded him in death in 1896. Whistler died in London on July 17, 1903.
One-man exhibitions: 1874 London, Flemish Gallery; 1904 Memorial exhibition, Boston; 1905 Memorial exhibition, London and Paris
Memberships:
Elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists, 1884; president, 1886-1888
First president of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters, and Gravers, 1898-1903
Officer of Legion of Honor, France
Member of Société Nationale des Artistes Françaises
Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Chevalier of the Order of St. Michael of Bavaria
Honorary member of Royal Academies of Bavaria, Dresden, and of St. Luke in Rome
Sources: Groce, G. C. and D. H. Wallace, eds. "The New York Historical Society's Dictionary of Artists in America 1564-1860." New Haven: Yale University Press, 1957; MacDonald, M. F. "James McNeill Whistler: Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours." New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995; McNamara, C. and J. Siewert, "Whistler: Prosaic Views, Poetic Vision." London: Thames and Hudson, 1994; Opitz, Glenn B., ed. "Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers," 2nd ed. Poughkeepsie: Apollo, 1986; Spencer, R. "Whistler: The Masterworks." London: Studio Editions, 1990.
An expansive riverscape moves across the middle of the image, from left to right. On the near bank are pilings and a retaining wall while on the opposite bank are factories and other buildings. In the foreground, two men stand on the embankment near the waterline; another man stands at the back of a boat or barge in the lower left corner.
Subject Matter
The view Whistler has chosen is of Millbank in London and the asymetrical composition shows Whistler's debt to Japanese art. The inscription indicates that this image was used to advertise the first public showing of the "Thames Set" in 1861.
Inscription
Inscribed in graphite, l.r.: David Roberts. R.A./With the compliments of/J. Whistler
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If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please fax a request to the attention of Orian Neumann, Assistant Registrar, at 734-474-7643. For other queries, email orian@umich.edu.edu.
Kawano Kaoru is considered a member of the Creative Print (sôsaku hanga) movement, a group of artists dedicated to bringing individualism, experimentation, and autonomy to Japan’s centuries old ukiyo-e tradition. His works are often highly abstracted, using simple lines and shapes to depict the subject.
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