This temporary exhibition briefly took us to Japan today — Bologna, Italy.

Graphic Japan Exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology — Bologna, Italy.

Wild Geese ... Illustrated Notebook Series (1713, Edo Period) ... Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Pair of mandarin ducks on a frozen pond beneath falling leaves (U. Hiroshige; 1840-1843, Edo Period)

Pair of cranes with young's, pine tree and rising sun ... from Kyōsai's drawings for pleasure.

Poster for Nihonshu (Japanese sake) ... by N. Kazumasa — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Long-sleeved kimono from the first half of the 19th century, Edo Period — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Hand-carved paper stencil with turtle motif for fabric dyeing (late 19th century; Meiji Era).

Obis from the 19th century — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

OK Moon Color (M. Keizo) — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Suijin Shrine Forest and the Massaki Region along the Sumida River (100 Famous Views of Edo Series).

Toto Norenkai (an Association of Long-Established Shops) — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Hara. View of Mount Fuji & Ashitakayama (Famous Places along the 53 Stations of the Tōkaidō).

Kimono ... taken before I noticed this one had a "No Photos" sign — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Beauty writing a letter (Series: 5 Types of Female Beauty ... K. Utamaro; 1803-1804, Edo Period).

Ichikawa Danjūrō [as Soga Gorō] ... U. Toyokuni (1814) — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Graphic Japan Exhibition — Bologna, Italy.

Graffiti caricatures of actors on warehouse walls (U. Kuniyoshi; 1848, Edo Period) — Graphic Japan.

Forest and Woods (Y. Ryūichi; reprint 1990) — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

NOH-UCLA — Japanese Traditional Performing Arts (K. Mitsuo; 2017 poster) — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Welcome to Japan (N. Masayoshi; 1988 poster) — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Owl on a pine branch and rising moon (U. Hiroshige; c. 1830, Edo Period) — Graphic Japan Exhibition.

Graphic Japan

Yesterday in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

Today, we left Italy for Japan … at least for an hour or so!

When Mui bought our Card Culturas from the Bologna Welcome Center several weeks ago, he was given a packet of brochures. Among them was a postcard promoting a temporary exhibition … “Graphic Japan: from Hokusai to Manga” … installed at the Museum of Archaeology.

While the Card Cultura gives us free admission to the museum, temporary exhibits are not covered. We did get a €2 discount on the 65+ admission, reducing the hit to our wallet to €12pp.

The exhibition is described as “…visually chronicling the fundamental stages of Japanese graphic design, journeying from the Edo period (1603-1868) to the present day. … It explores the reasons behind the global success of Japanese graphic art, from ukiyo-e prints (images of the "Floating World") to contemporary posters and manga. …”

The exhibition, which consists of 200+ works that are on loan, is divided into four themes … nature, figures, sign, and contemporary Japonism. Through the various works, the exhibition tells “… a rich story of the evolution of Japanese graphics, showcasing its connection to calligraphy, typography, design, fashion, and even film. The exhibition highlights key artists and themes from different eras, showing how techniques and subjects have changed while maintaining the recognizable visual essence of Japanese culture.”

When we decided to check out the exhibition, which ends on 6 April, we didn’t know exactly what to expect. The art on the walls and the display cases exceeded our expectations and we really enjoyed ourselves. Mui even got some inspiration for his own artistic endeavors.

We wrapped up our outing with lunch at Trattoria La Corte Galluzzi … located in an inner courtyard that is first mentioned in a document from 1288. Delicious tagliatelle al ragù; a Cabernet Sauvignon that our palates enjoyed. Dessert was so-so, however, so when we return, we’ll skip a sweet treat there for some gelato elsewhere.

*** Card Cultura Update … with the €2 discount on admission, I have €13 left to break even.Read more