>> Family Gallery: So Many Roosters and Birds in One Place!
Family Gallery: So Many Roosters and Birds in One Place!
Family Gallery: So Many Roosters and Birds in One Place! / Heiseikan Thematic Exhibition Room April 25, 2017 (Tue) - June 4, 2017 (Sun)
Pheasants, Detail in overglaze enamel, By Kiyomizu Rokubei V, Showa era, 20th century (Gift of The Second Bureau of Demobilization)
This thematic exhibition on the pheasant family of birds is organized jointly by three institutions in Ueno Park: Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Nature and Science, and the Ueno Zoological Gardens. Images of the pheasant family of birds – peacocks in particular – were introduced to Japan from India. Moreover, Chinese phoenixes, which are imaginary creatures, are thought to have been created based on these kind of birds. We invite you to experience some unusual "bird watching" in our gallery.
Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
Peacocks Embroidery on screen, By Tanaka Rishichi, Meiji period, dated 1893
Textile for Hanging in Yuzen Dyeing Paulownia and phoenix design, Edo period, 19th century
Pheasants and other birds
Pheasants, Detail in overglaze enamel,
By Kiyomizu Rokubei V,
Showa era, 20th century (Gift of The Second Bureau of Demobilization)
Pheasants are characterized by a body that is thicker around the middle and sturdy legs suitable for walking. The male is larger than the female and has long, beautiful tail feathers and other decorative feathers. The cries of the pheasant, chicken, and quail are featured in certain Japanese proverbs.
Fragment of Embroidery, Khotan, China, 6th–7th century (Otani collection)
The first images of lovely peacocks, with their beautiful, vividly colorful feathers, were brought to Japan via the Korean peninsula in the late 6th to early 7th centuries. From then on, these images were popular ornamentations in buildings and motifs in works of art.
Phoenixes
Yogi, Bed spread Phoenix and paulownia design on yellowish-green chirimen crepe ground, Formely owned by Noguchi Hikobei, Edo period, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Noguchi Shinzo)
These mythical birds are of ancient origin. Representations of birds resembling phoenixes have been found on ceramics unearthed at Chinese archeological sites from 7,000 years ago. The ancient Chinese considered the phoenix to be one of four divine creatures, the others being the dragon, the qilin, and the tortoise, and they portrayed it as having many of the characteristics of a pheasant, including the comb on its head, the shape of its throat and legs, and its long tail feathers.
So Many Roosters and Birds in One Place!
The pamphlet is distributed in Heiseikan Thematic Exhibition Room during the thematic exhibition period.
PDF( PDF, 1.7MB)
<Lectures> Family Gallery "So Many Roosters and Birds in One Place!"
Heiseikan Auditorium May 27, 2017 (Sat) 13:30 - 15:00
<Other Events> In Search of Pheasants on Ueno Hill
May 14, 2017 (Sun) 9:00 - 12:30