The World of Ornament: Netsuke and Japanese Prints from the Denison Collection

Japanese art at Denison comprises the Edo period (1600-1868), late nineteenth and twentieth-century netsuke, and wood-block prints. Netsuke are toggles used to secure objects on a cord worn as part of Japanese dress; these small objects are both functional and aesthetic, being highly carved and decorated. The wood-block prints depict the Japanese interest in scenic views and the world of pleasure in the cities. An important part of the latter depictions was fashion. This exhibition explores the emphasis on Japanese culture upon design and looks at some of the ways in which it was used in artistic media.