THE ART OF IMPERMANENCE (Broché)

Impermanence is a pervasive subject in Japanese thought and art. Through masterpieces of calligraphy, painting, sculpture, ceramics, lacquers, and textiles drawn from two of America's greatest Japanese art collections, this catalogue is the first of its kind to examine Japan's unique and nuanced references to transience. Contributions from noted scholars explore the role of impermanence in religion, literature, artifacts, and popular culture through objects spanning from the Jomon period to the twentieth century. From images that depict the cycle of the four seasons and red negoro lacquer worn so it reveals the black lacquer beneath, to the gentle sadness evoked in the words of wistful poems, this catalogue demonstrates that much of Japan's greatest art alludes directly or indirectly to the transient nature of life.