As the part II of the introductory series of the art of daimyō lords, this exhibition focuses on reading and interpreting the designs of furniture and costumes made for daimyō’s households.
The arts and crafts passed on by generations of the Higo Hosokawa Family showcases various decorative designs such as seasonal scenes and manners, adorable animals, figures of persons, and the motifs associated with literature. They provide visual pleasure on one hand, and also may carry something beyond of that, for example, suggestions of certain meanings or hidden wishes. This exhibition introduces the richness of the world of designs and patterns through the collections of the Eisei Bunko Museum: folding screens, lacquered stationeries, sword accoutrements, and so on.
In addition, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Hosokawa Hiroko (1851-1919), a princess of Saga Nabeshima family and the mother of Hosokawa Moritatsu, who was the founder of the museum and known as “the Lord of art.” To commemorate this occasion, some of her wardrobes will be also on display: the wedding robe (uchikake) which is believed to be used on her wedding with the 14th generation of Hosokawa family, Morihisa, along with some luxuriously embellished short-sleeved kimono (kosode).
We hope that this exhibition will provide an opportunity to feel more familiar with the furniture and costumes which added more opulence to the daily lives of lords and princesses.