From 31 January to 5 July, Japan Museum SieboldHuis will present the exhibition Neko. The cat in Japanese art.
Traditional and contemporary Japanese prints, rare drawings, objects, beautiful scroll paintings and contemporary photographs show the role of the cat in Japanese art over the centuries. This exhibition is certainly suitable for lovers of cats and Japanese art.
In Japan, the love for the cat (neko in Japanese) is great. This can be seen in the indispensable icons of popular culture such as Hello Kitty, the YouTube sensation Maru the cat, the cat cafes and even a number of ‘cat islands’. Cats have been embraced by the population since their arrival in Japan. But where does this love come from? In the exhibition of SieboldHuis, this is revealed through the themes ‘The cat in folk art’, ‘Cat mischief and evil cats’ and ‘Human cat or cat man’.
Funny cats transformed into humans but also the playfulness, cuteness and natural behaviour of the cat can be seen in the various objects, prints, scroll paintings and illustrated booklets in Japan Museum SieboldHuis. Think of rare sketches by the 18th-century printmaker Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) which provide tangible evidence of his special bond with his pet. But also within today’s Japanese popular culture, there are many anthropomorphic cats, including Hello Kitty.
The Japanese cat is portrayed in many different ways in the museum. Look at the cat in art, do the neko search and relax on the large cat bed. Whether they are playful ‘home tigers’, mischief or evil cats, the goal of this exhibition to show the visitor how love for the cat is expressed in Japanese art throughout the centuries.
Japan Museum Sieboldhuis can be found at Rapenburg 19 and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00. More information about the museum can be found on the website.
Source: Japanmuseum Sieboldhuis
