Meiji Kogei Exhibition

Early in the Meiji era, when Japanese society was being rapidly rearranged and 'modernised' by the new authorities, traditional crafts and craftsmanship (kogei) was entering a golden age. Fields like metalcrafts and lacquerware had undergone stunning development during the long 'Edo peace', and a new generation of artisans was now taking this technological know-how and applying it in innovative ways to create more realistic pieces than ever before. Composed of around 130 works, drawn from a Taiwanese collection focused on Japan's traditional crafts, this exhibition displays some of the Meiji masters' finest creations, with a particular focus on animal-themed sculptures that recreate not only the form but also the movement of snakes, dragons, turtles and so on.