Feathered Art: Japanese Brush and Ink Depictions of Birds and Flora

Led by Lisa Sockett, Docent, National Museum of Asian Art

In the Heian period (794-1185 CE), Japanese artists began to depict birds and flowers in reference to seasonal linkages or as auspicious symbols. Exploring a variety of bird species in natural or idyllic surroundings, artists honed their ink and brush skills for use in hanging scrolls, folding screens, ceramics and printed books.

The Feathered Ink exhibit at the National Museum of Asian Art provides a perfect opportunity to view how artists used ink brushwork techniques to illustrate different types of bird plumage/textures as well as plants. In some cases, color was used for additional symbolic meaning or for decorative effect.

Birds also were popular motifs for early modern Japanese ceramics. Rendered through inlaid slip designs, molding, and polychrome pigments, some of the vessels shown in the Museum’s Feathered Ink exhibition provide a glimpse into how Japanese potters emulated on clay surfaces the painterly effects of ink on paper or fabric.

To register for the presentation,

please RSVP:  park21217@aol.com