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Victor Harris
The first exhibition of the Khalili Collection of Japanese Art
was held in the Japan Gallery of the British Museum in 1994-5 and
opened by Mr Sadaaki Numata, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy
of Japan.
The possibility of holding an exhibition of Meiji period art in
the Japan Gallery had been considered for some time, and would have
taken place with pieces borrowed from public collections in Japan,
the USA and Europe had not the Khalili collection in its entirety
been made available. Such a collection could not possibly be duplicated
or even approached by any museum in the world today.
The metalwork, lacquer and enamel pieces in the exhibition show
the extraordinary level of skill of the artists themselves, and
the range and depth of the traditional Japanese art forms, which
are intrinsic in their work.
It is of particular significance that about a quarter of the pieces
are by members of the elite group of artists appointed by the Meiji
Emperor as Imperial Craftsmen, and that many others are by their
pupils and associates.
They remain today as monuments to the pride of Japan in her traditional
art, which emerged after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1868,
and as examples of a level of workmanship, which is unlikely ever
to be excelled.
This inaugural exhibition of the Khalili collection included 102
pieces that are reproduced in full colour in the catalogue written
by Victor Harris, former Keeper at the Department of Japanese Antiquities
at the British Museum.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Victor Harris is former Keeper at the Department of Japanese Antiquities
at the British Museum. His field is Japanese metalwork and in particular
the arts of the Japanese sword. His many publications include Japanese
Imperial Craftsmen - Meiji Art from the Khalili Collection.
DETAILS
144 pages; fully illustrated in colour
27.5 x 21.7 cm
softback
Published by British Museum Press in 1994
0-7141-1463-4 (Out of print)
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