Museums

76th Shoso-In Exhibition to Showcase 57 Treasures; 10 Items to Make Debut

Courtesy of Imperial Household Agency’s Office of the Shoso-in Treasure House
A cloisonne enamel mirror to be included in the 76th exhibition of Shoso-in treasures

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:44 JST, August 24, 2024

NARA — The 76th exhibition of Shoso-in treasures will be held from Oct. 26 to Nov. 11, the Nara National Museum has announced.

The annual exhibition will showcase 57 treasures this year, many of which symbolize the glamorous Tenpyo culture that flourished in eighth-century Japan. Ten of them will be displayed at the exhibition for the first time.

Among the treasures will be “Ogon Ruri Den Hai no Juniryo Kyo” (Twelve-Pointed Mirror Decorated with Gold-Rimmed Cloisonne Petals on a Silver Plate). The mirror is decorated with the shippo cloisonne enamel technique, in which a glass-based glaze is fired onto a metal surface.

The mirror, 18.5 centimeters in diameter, is made of silver. Its back is decorated with 18 petal-shaped plates, both large and small, each fired with a dark green and yellow glaze, that represent the imaginary plant called Hosoge. This is the only mirror in the Shoso-in collection that is decorated with the cloisonne enamel technique.

The exhibition includes more pieces of outstanding craftsmanship, such as: “Shika Kusaki Kyokechi no Byobu” (Standing Screen Panel with Clamp-Resist Design of Deer and Plants under a Tree), a screen panel depicting two deer facing each other under a tree decorated using the kyokechi clamp-resist dyeing technique, and “Jinko Mokuga no Hako” (Aloeswood Offering Box with Marquetry Design), a box decorated with elaborate marquetry believed to have contained offerings.

In principle, visitors need to buy tickets in advance, reserving a specific date and time of entry. The exhibition will open at 8 a.m.

The Yomiuri Shimbun is providing special support to the exhibition.