Thanks to my dear friend Janet for telling me about this show.
Notabe artworks:
Kamakura Realism and Spirituality in the Sculpture of Japan
More about the show on the Asia Society website: http://asiasociety.org/new-york/exhibitions/kamakura-realism-and-spirituality-sculpture-japan
Kamakura Realism and Spirituality in the Sculpture of Japan - the Catalog: The Kamakura period (1185–1333) is considered a pinnacle of Japanese artistic expression, often described as a renaissance in Buddhist art. This catalogue is the first in over two decades to examine the exquisite sculpture of this period, artwork characterized by an intense corporeal presence, naturalistic proportions, a sense of movement, realistic drapery, and lifelike facial expressions animated by eyes made of inlaid crystal. Essays by noted scholars explore the sculptures’ arresting exteriors and powerful interiors, examining the technical and stylistic innovations that made them possible, and offering new context for their ritual and devotional uses. They demonstrate that the physical beauty and technical brilliance of Kamakura statues are profoundly associated with their spiritual dimension and devotional functions.
New York Times review:
Spellbinding Treasures From Japan’s Kamakura Period at Asia Society
