Hood Museum Exhibition Showcases Works from Major Promised Gift of Japanese Prints
An exceptional private collection of Japanese woodblock prints will be presented at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College from April 6 to July 28, 2013. The Women of Shin Hanga: The Judith and Joseph Barker Collection of Japanese Prints will display nearly 100 examples from the Barkers' extensive collection of Japanese prints that showcases two centuries of Japanese print designers' engagement with female subjects. The exhibition will focus primarily on depictions of women that were created by the leading artists of the shin hanga (new print) movement of the early 20th century, a time when rapid modernization and increased contact with the West gave rise to new modes of artistic expression and female representation. A promised gift to the Hood Museum of Art, the Barker collection represents the single largest contribution to the Hood's Japanese art holdings, which have expanded significantly over the past decade.
"The exceptional caliber of the Judith and Joseph Barker collection affords a unique opportunity to trace artists' engagement with female subjects across a pivotal period in the history of Japanese printmaking," said Michael Taylor, Director of the Hood Museum of Art. "We are deeply grateful to Joe and Judy for sharing their remarkable collection, whose promised donation will advance the Hood's robust tradition of presenting work by Japanese artists."
The 66 shin hanga prints that form the core of the exhibition encompass a diverse range of female archetypes from early 20th-century Japanese society, ranging from geisha associated with traditional practices to so-called "modern girls" characterized by their Westernized appearance and liberated lifestyle. Also included in the exhibition are 24 prints published between 1767 and 1897, which provide a contextual overview of female representations in Japanese printmaking prior to the emergence of shin hanga. Curated by Allen Hockley, Associate Professor of Art History at Dartmouth, The Women of Shin Hanga includes the work of such influential shin hanga practitioners as Itō Shinsui, Hashiguchi Goyō, Torii Kotondo, Kitano Tsunetomi, Kobayakawa Kiyoshi, and others.
Judith and Joseph Barker's interest in shin hanga prints was inspired in part by Joseph's early discovery of Japanese printmaking traditions as a Dartmouth undergraduate, and the Barkers' promised gift to the Hood advances a long tradition of alumni contributions to the museum's Japanese art collection. "With its unparalleled commitment to educational programming and community engagement, the Hood Museum will make an ideal home for our treasured collection of Japanese prints," said Joseph Barker, a member of the Dartmouth Class of 1966. "Judy and I hope that visitors to the Hood will discover in these works the same meticulous artistry and breathtaking beauty that has captivated us for so many years."
Whether they feature conservatively dressed women in traditional costumes or geisha, modern girls, or nudes, the prints in the exhibition demonstrate the importance of both traditional and innovative production methods and subjects to shin hanga depictions of women. Artists focused their attention anew on hairstyles, cosmetics, clothing, and fashion accessories, the most recognizable markers of contemporary women. Woodblock carvers and printers used modern techniques to create, for example, intricately carved coiffures that reveal hundreds of individual strands of hair, and the subtle application of color to convey flesh tones and cosmetics including lip color and eye shadow. As a final touch, ground mica mixed with pigment highlights the metallic properties of the jewelry, hair ornaments, and mirrors. The pristine quality of the works on view in The Women of Shin Hanga at the Hood Museum of Art offers a rare opportunity to experience these technological marvels within the context of a country in the throes of economic, industrial, and social modernization.
Related Exhibitions
- The Women of Shin Hanga: The Judith and Joseph Barker Collection of Japanese Prints
- Japanese Prints in the Hood Museum of Art: Recent Acquisitions
- A Feast For the Eyes and a Sacred Trek for the Feet: Journeys along the Tokaido Highway
- Dartmouth Looks at the Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari)
Related Stories
- The Women of Shin Hanga: The Judith and Joseph Barker Collection of Japanese Prints
- Japanese Prints at the Hood (featured collection overview)