About the Event
The latter half of the 19th century was a time of political upheaval, imperial expansion, economic transformation and social unrest worldwide. Japan saw the fall of the shogun’s government and the creation of a new, modern monarchy under the Emperor Meiji (1868-1912). This presentation examines the art of this era as presented in an exciting exhibition currently on view at the Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago (through June 9, 2024). Meiji Modern examines how time-honored artistic motifs such as the sea, nature, and supernatural beings were transformed with the introduction of new techniques, materials, and audiences.
CLICK HERE for information on how you can view the exhibit at the Smart Museum of Art through June 9
About the Speaker
Chelsea Foxwell is Associate Professor of Art History, East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and the College at the University of Chicago and co-curator of Meiji Modern. Dr. Foxwell’s scholarship ranges from medieval through modern periods of Japanese art with special emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. She is the author of Making Modern Japanese-Style Painting: Kano Hōgai and the Search for Images (2015). In 2012 she co-curated the exhibition Awash in Color: French and Japanese Prints with Anne Leonard at the Smart Museum of Art. Her recent research includes essays on Kitao Masayoshi (Kuwagata Keisai), Edo-period printed painting manuals (gafu), and Meiji photography.