Art Forgotten · Huang Goodman

Art from public museum collections. A mismatched real Japanese law, and some other factoids.

Every object, image and description comes from the museum's own catalogue record, and every object links to its original. Japanese records are machine-translated into English; the museum's Japanese is kept beside the translation because it is the authoritative form. Each law carries its official number and links to e-Gov 法令検索, the Japanese government's statute database.

{鼠蒔絵印籠 · 紐通し朱漆銘「塩見政誠」 · 明治時代・19世紀 / Meiji era, 19th century · Japan Search · 国立国会図書館}

Mouse-drawn Picture Scroll This scroll is a unique work of art. Its distinctiveness lies in the fact that it was created through the laborious process of mouse-drawn pictures. The creation of this scroll involved the meticulous and painstaking effort of training mice to draw using brushes dipped in ink. The artists involved in this process spent countless hours guiding the mice, carefully controlling their movements to bring the artwork to life. The intricate designs and detailed patterns on this scroll are a testament to the skill and patience of both the artists and the mice. Each stroke of the brush, no matter how small, was carefully executed by the artistic team and their rodent collaborators. The scroll is a marvel of Japanese art, showcasing the innovative spirit and ingenuity of its creators. It is a rare and precious example of the fusion of traditional Japanese art forms with unconventional methods. The scroll is carefully preserved, its delicate surfaces protected from the elements and the passage of time. Despite its age, the vibrant colors and intricate details remain vivid and clear, a testament to the skill and dedication of those who created it. This scroll invites us to marvel at the artistry and creativity of its makers, and to consider the unexpected possibilities that can emerge when we approach art with an open mind and an adventurous spirit. · Connected with a silk cord, ink seal with the inscription "Salt View Politically Sincere.

This inrō was originally a portable container for storing medicines during the Edo period. However, it was later used as an ornamental dressing case. This inrō is a work of the Edo period painting master, Saltaku Mitsunobu. It features a bold design with two mice placed on gold leaf, and intricately painted every single hair, making it an impressive piece.

印籠は、薬などを入れる携帯用の容器でしたが、江戸時代の中頃から装身具として用いられました。この印籠は江戸中期の蒔絵師、塩見政誠の作品です。金地に二匹の鼠を配した大胆な構図と、毛の一本一本まで蒔絵で表わした精緻な表現が印象的な作品です。

View the original at Japan Search →

The law

文化芸術基本法

Basic Act on Culture and the Arts

平成十三年法律第百四十八号 · Act No. 148 of 2001

Unusually for a Japanese statute it opens with a preamble, which states that finding joy in creating culture and living among it is an unchanging wish of people, and that culture contributes to world peace. Article 2 then sets the principles: the autonomy of those who make culture must be fully respected, and their creativity, standing and capacity considered.

The cool part. Article 2, paragraph 3 is the line worth reading twice. It says that creating and receiving culture is a right people are born with, and requires an environment in which citizens can appreciate, participate and create regardless of age, disability, economic situation, or the area they live in. Four barriers named in statute, one of which is your postcode. It puts the arts in the same grammatical register as infrastructure. Not a subsidy argued for each year, a standing obligation.

Verify at e-Gov 法令検索 →

Use it Take the ratio, not the picture. It sets a page better than a grid does.

Description source: museum curator text, translated — not generated