The Japanese artistic tradition is varied and diverse; it embraces many artistic visions and trends that have only recently become accessible to Western art enthusiasts. This August, the Met has opened a large-scale exhibition of Japanese art where all fans of the Asian artistic vision can enjoy the work of Japanese poets, calligraphers, and painters.

The Met’s Exhibition: Key Highlights

An exhibition under a thought-provoking title, The Three Perfections, has recently opened its doors at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The focus of the exhibition, which combines artistic artifacts spanning the past 1,000 years of Japanese history, is on the complicated relationship of the Japanese creatives with the concept of perfection.

The display is divided into ten galleries, each with a carefully selected set of exhibits from a specific historical period and a distinct feel of Japanese aesthetics. The exhibition is reasonably called a “multi-sensorial experience” because its selection of art objects appeals to all levels of art appreciators’ senses. For example, one of the galleries is filled with sounds of Japanese poems chanted in full respect with the 11th-century chanting tradition. Another one displays monk lacquers traditionally held and worshipped at Buddhist temples.

In the calligraphy gallery, visitors can also view the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji, which was authored by a woman, Murasaki Shikibu. Another tribute to the female contribution to Japanese artistic traditions is the display of calligraphy works by Ono no Ozū, a 16th-century representative of the Japanese nobility, who succeeded as an artist during the Edo period.

A notable place in the exhibition is given to the ceremonial artifacts of the traditional tea ceremony – a vital element of the Japanese culture and a ritual accompanying the calligraphic practice. All these varied elements of the unique Japanese world set the viewers into a contemplative mood and a feeling of esthetic immersion.

The Met’s Contribution to Japanese Art Popularization

The Met has been active in the promotion and popularization of Japanese art among Western audiences for the past decade. For instance, its 2015 exhibition titled Discovering Japanese Art was one of the largest displays of art objects from Japan, featuring 200+ artworks.

The Met’s 2017 exhibition was dedicated to the Japanese Bamboo Art School. It popularized the delicate art of bamboo basket weaving and familiarized the visitors with accompanying accessories and traditional apparel, such as kimonos, hanging scrolls, and miniature netsuke sculptures.

The Three Perfections will be available for all viewers until August 3, 2025.