Detail: Asia Society is proud to present Meiji Modern: Fifty Years of New Japan. Organized by the Japanese Art Society of America in celebration of its fiftieth anniversary, this special exhibition reevaluates a seminal era of turmoil, transformation, and creativity in Japan spanning the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries.

Comprising nearly 80 works—including paintings, prints, photographs, sculptural works, and objects in various media, such as enamel, lacquer, embroidery, and textiles—this exhibition presents some of the finest examples of Meiji-period artworks in American collections, both public and private. Arranged around traditional Japanese motifs, such as the sea and nature, Buddhist deities, beauties, and mythical animals, Meiji Modern highlights these themes as they are transformed by the introduction of newly imported techniques, materials, and objects, surprising the viewer with works of technical virtuosity, unexpected scale, and sheer beauty.