Yasuyuki Namikawa and Japanese Cloisonné

Marking 90 years since the death of Yasuyuki Namikawa (1845-1927), a Meiji-era cloisonné master whose detailed, highly sophisticated work was met with admiration in Europe and elsewhere only years after Japan's 'opening' to the world, the Teien museum puts on this extensive retrospective honouring the once-forgotten artist. Born into a samurai family in Kyoto, Namikawa began studying cloisonné after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 and was appointed Imperial Craftsman to the court of Emperor Meiji in 1896, making him one of the leading artisans of his day. Although the cloisonné industry hit hard times in the Taisho era, a development that eventually led Namikawa to close his workshop and fade into obscurity, it has begun to be appreciated anew in recent years. Subtitled 'The Allure of Meiji Cloisonné: The Aesthetic of Translucent Black', this exhibition brings together work from both all across Japan and Europe, which saw a stream of Japanese cloisonné imports around the turn of the previous century, and also includes sketches and other materials that provide a look inside Namikawa's creative process.