Gold, Silver, and Mica: Sparkling Japanese Art

Sparkling metals and minerals such as gold and silver have enchanted and inspired admiration from people across both East and West since ancient times. They have been used as symbols of holiness, nobility, and authority, and as gorgeous forms of decoration, with art pieces created to pursue the beauty of these materials.
The Heian period (8th–12th century) saw noble culture flourish in Japan, including the extensive use of gold and silver in combination. The use of muscovite(a colorless or pale brown mica) dust, called kira in Japanese, was also very popular. The delicate expressions of gold and silver and the soft white sparkle of kira provide an excellent window into the refined aesthetic sensibilities of the Japanese. This exhibition has been built around a core of Heian period sutra and calligraphies. It comprises approximately 40 pieces—including paintings, calligraphy,ceramics, and lacquer—ranging from the Momoyama period (beginning of the 17th century) to the modern day. With beautiful writing paper, elegant kira-printed booklets, and folding screens decorated with gold or silver on display, we invite you to enjoy varied forms of sparkling Japanese art.