(Muhaimen “Moo” Ahmed)

ムーハイメン (Muu-Hai-Men, written in katakana)

At the MET I had the chance to walk around the Japanese Art Exhibit.  The artwork covered around 1500 through present time.  I was able to view many pieces of Japanese art from the Edo Period 1603-1868 and some pieces from as early as 1500.  I got to see some of the visual depictions of the Samurai Culture while also seeing use of drawing techniques many use today.  In the picture below of the lion on the cliff, you see a beautiful landscape where depth is depicted via shading.  This was my favorite piece out of the exhibit purely because I liked how the scenery looked and I found the expression on the lion’s face silly.  Below this picture is a picture of a Shoin room.  It is a room that would often be used as a study room.  The walls are made of paper and there is gold leaf detailing.  I’ve always found the use of paper for walls quite interesting.  While not very functional, it gives the room a unique look.  In paper rooms, light from other rooms would bleed in, making it easier to achieve good lighting in a household.  According to my Japanese professor, some paper household items are still in style.  The blinds for his windows were made of paper so light could come through.  He often got in trouble as a child because he’d break or make holes in it often.  Paper walls and doors were often the inside of a house and there were many reasons to use paper walls in Japan.  The climate during the summer is very hot and humid and it’s probably easier to keep a house heated with an open fire rather than cool it down when air conditioners existed.  Overall, I enjoyed the Japanese art section, it gave me a peek into the culture of Japan while not focusing on anything in particular.  I left the exhibit wanting to learn more about the various aspects of Japanese culture from drawing styles, the evolution of its written language, architecture, to its textiles.  I highly recommend that you guys stop by it when you have the chance.