Project Launch: A World of Edo Art

Japan Past & Present is pleased to announce the launch of A World of Edo Art. This web portal, spearheaded by acclaimed translator and director of the documentary film Edo Avant Garde Linda Hoaglund, brings together over two hundred captivating Edo-period (1603–1868) artworks related to animals and nature from museums around the world. Designed to entice visitors of any age, this project highlights twenty-four artworks across six subject areas: Creatures of the Land, Sea, and Sky, as well as Plants, the Environment, and Artistic Techniques. Viewers can explore each featured artwork and learn about the artist who created it through high-resolution images, a video with expert commentary, a biography of the artist, and activities and readings that bring the artwork to life by linking it to the natural world around us. A filterable collection of two hundred additional artworks allows viewers to dive deeper into the world of early modern Japanese painting, history, and culture.

The organizers of A World of Edo Art express their gratitude to NHK, the U.S.-Japan Foundation, and the Japan Foundation for making Edo Avant Garde, which served as the inspiration for A World of Edo Art, possible. They also deeply appreciate the time and efforts of the collaborators and experts who helped bring this project to fruition.

To explore the A World of Edo Art web portal, click here.