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Edo to Meiji-Period Studies of Ancient Objects through
Illustrations May 19 (Wednesday) to June 27 (Sunday), 2004 The Collections Hall, Gallery 13 Before the prevalence of photography, ancient objects and excavation sites were recorded through illustrations. During the second half of the Edo period (1616-1867), scholars began taking records of "rare objects," such as archaeological findings and temple and shrine treasures by sketching and drawing them. This trend continued on into the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) periods, and many early excavated objects and temple and shrine treasures came to be recorded in this way. This exhibition traces the footsteps of early Japanese archaeologists from the Edo to Taisho periods, by featuring illustrations, ink rubbings, and publications of ancient objects in the museum’s collection. Highlights include early sources such as Shuko Zukan (Illustrations of Early Collections) by the late Edo-period Kyoto scholar, Sugawara Sadamoto, who produced drawings of archaeological artifacts and artwork for his research. His numerous illustrations of fragments of earthenware from the late Jomon (c. 10,000-c. 400 B.C.), discovered in the Okazaki district of eastern Kyoto, are the earliest illustrated records of Jomon ware.
The late Edo-period source, Yamatosho Sanryozu (Illustrations of Imperial Tombs
in Yamato), shows floor plans of imperial mausoleums in Nara Prefecture and
sketches of burial mounds and hillside tomb chambers.
Illustrations of Imperial Tombs in Yamato Also on display will be issues of Kanko zusetsu (Illustrated Catalogue of Archaeological Objects), which offer illustrations of archaeological objects such as earthenware and ceramics, published around 1877 by the renowned antiquarian Ninagawa Noritane (d. 1882).
Drawing of Sue Vessels in Kanko Zusetsu (Illustrated Catalogue of Archaeological
Objects)
Drawing of Sue Vessels in Kanko Zusetsu (Illustrated Catalogue of Archaeological
Objects) Especially noteworthy among the materials in the museum’s custody are the plans of the Kofun-period (c. A.D. 250-600) tombs and detailed drawings of the tomb objects from a 1881 excavation in Shikatani Village, Kameoka of Tanba Province (today Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture). William Gouland, an Englishman who worked at the Royal Mint in Osaka and who participated in this excavation, took back several objects excavated from this burial site, including harnesses, swords, and Sue earthenware, which now belong in the collection of the British Museum in London. The survey floor plans of the tomb chambers by Kyoto painter, Endo Mohei, are also invaluable materials in understanding the early research methodology in the field of archaeology in Japan.
Illustration of Harness from Rokuya Tomb in Tanba
Also, significant in this
exhibit are the ink rubbings by Hirose Toson of petroglyphs discovered in the
hillside tombs of Taida in Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture, during the Taisho
period (1912-1926), which show these images at the time of their discovery since
the tombs have been vandalized in recent times. We hope that these detailed
records will shed light on early archaeological methodologies in Japan.
Shoden Chodozu (Illustrations of Furnishings from the Imperial Place in Kyoto) Edo period |
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