By SHEILA WICKOUSKI

FOR THE FREE LANCE–STAR

“Patterned Feathers, Piercing Eyes: Edo Masters From the Price Collection” at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is triply unique for how the artworks were created, how they were chosen for the the collection, and how they were curated for this show.

Japan’s self-imposed isolation during the Edo period spanned over two centuries—from the early 16th century, with the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate, until the 19th century with the arrival of the “Black Ships,” the Naval expeditions of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, that opened Japan to trade with America.

In this period of retreat from the world, Japan discovered itself.

A painting created in the century before—“Old Pines and Birds”—is a good indicator to measure the dynamic growth that would follow. Animals and plants existed in a well-ordered universe, vertically arranged with the highest powers at the top and lowest forms of life at the bottom.

As Neo-Confucianism, separate from Buddhist thought, developed during the Edo period, that construct of reality would be leveled to the horizon.

The material and the spiritual worlds would be viewed for what they were: separate but entwined.

Animals that were considered symbols of divine attributes in pre-Edo period would be portrayed for what they really are: part of the natural world. In paintings, animal fur looks like it would be velvet to the touch, while flower petals seem to be embroidered on the scrolls, giving the works a life of their own.

Tigers—an animal never seen by Japanese painters in real life—are vibrant. In contrast, the ghosts who float legless at twilight are spooky shadows.

Beyond these examples of superb composition and technical skill in the display of evocative ideas with universal appeal, each of these works has its own unique story to share on how it represents the beliefs and cultural life in that fascinating time and place as a secular view of man and society emerged.

CULTURAL TRADITION