Suntory Museum of Art "People of Mushimezuru Japan"

One of the characteristics of Japan art is that plants, trees, flowers and birds have been cherished since ancient times. And although small compared to them, insects were also an important motif. Not only those classified as insects in modern times, but also small creatures that wriggle, such as spiders, frogs, and snakes, are familiar as insects and appear in stories, waka poems, and various works of art. In particular, fireflies and chirping insects such as Suzuma were loved, and the way they were deeply connected to the story is conveyed from Genji-e and Ise-e. In addition, grass insect drawings that depict flowers and insects and represent auspiciousness were brought from China, and were prized in Japan for a long time from the Middle Ages, and influenced many painters.
In the Edo period, under the influence of the progress of herbalism, the study of old paintings, and literature such as haiku, a variety of insect pictures that did not fit into the category of herbaceous drawings were created. From the middle of the Edo period onwards, insect listening and firefly hunting spread to the people of the city as entertainment, and eventually became an annual event in Edo. This culture has been passed down in modern and modern times. Japan's insect culture has been nurtured for a long time, but one of its peaks can be the Edo period, when popularization progressed.
Therefore, this exhibition focuses on the Edo period in particular, touching on the aspects of the "people of the Japan of Mushimezuru" in the Middle Ages and modern times, and reconsidering the intimate relationship between insects and people.

* In order to protect the works, the exhibition will be changed during the exhibition period. The exhibition period of Jakuchu Ito's "Vegetable Bug Score" shown on posters is from August 9th ~ September 18th, and there will be a scene change during the period.