Past Exhibitions
- Feature Exhibition
Bullish on the New Year: Celebrating the Year of the Ox - December 19, 2020 - January 31, 2020
Humans have a long history of living with oxen. About ten
thousand years ago, people began domesticating dogs, goats,
sheep, and pigs, and then cattle. During the Han dynasty (206
BCE–220 CE) of ancient China, the ox was seen as a symbol of
wealth, becoming one of the twelve animals of the zodiac across
East Asia.
Bovines were introduced to Japan during the Kofun period (ca.
3rd–6th century). By the Heian period (794–1185), the ox was
being used for plowing and hauling cargo; in religious art, it was
depicted as a messenger or conveyance for gods and buddhas.
During the medieval centuries to follow, imagery of cattle became
a standard element in rural landscapes. In Zen Buddhism, the ox
symbolized the realm of enlightenment. For the people of Edo
period (1615–1868) Japan, the ox came also to embody vigor,
vitality, and other traits.
This annual New Year's exhibition delves deeper into the
meanings and artistic imagery of the current animal of the Chinese
zodiac. What qualities will you discover through historical
representations of the ox?
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