Past Exhibitions
- New Year's Feature Exhibition The Many Hats of Rats!
- January 2, 2020 - February 2, 2020
2020 is the Year of the Rat according to the Chinese zodiac. In fact,
the rat is the first animal in the twelve-year cycle. Why are rats and
mice, which are more commonly thought of as pesky varmints
portrayed so positively on works of art?
In Japan, the mouse (rat) has been regarded as a divine messenger
making it an auspicious animal. Originally, the mouse was associated
with the deity Ōkuninushi, since Japanese myths tell that a mouse
saved this deity's life. When Daikoku, the god of wealth with Hindu
origins, was brought into Japan, he was identified with Ōkuninushi
because the Chinese characters for Ōkuni could also be pronounced
"Daikoku." Hence the mouse became the messenger of this syncretic
god. In addition, mice are prolific breeders, making them a symbol of
fertility. Moreover, during the Edo period (1615–1868), rats and
mice were popular pets. Manuals on breeding rare species were
widely circulated and produced some calm rats and mice that
like people. In the Japanese court, a New Year's event to bolster
longevity was held on the First Day of the Rat (hatsune). This is
elegantly described in "The Warbler's First Song" (Hatsune), a
well-known chapter from The Tale of Genji (11th c.), which itself
inspired numerous celebratory artistic motifs.
This exhibition celebrates the New Year with outstanding
representations of this robust yet charming creature.