PEM in an Hour
17. Japanese Kanban
Head to the far end of the gallery where you will see a wooden sign with a man’s face against the back wall. Our museum holds a remarkable array of objects from everyday life in 19th-century Japan. This is partly due to Edward Sylvester Morse, the early director of our museum, who also helped build our Korean collection. Morse became one of the first Western scholars to visit Japan after it opened to travelers. He was highly influential in encouraging American interest in Japanese art and culture, and helped create this remarkable collection. PEM has a large group of what are known as Kanban. These are often large carved wood signs that hung outside a shop. They don't necessarily have words on them. You might find the carving of a giant radish to advertise a vegetable shop, or a whole series of very beautiful sword guards mounted together to advertise that this is where you would buy a sword. This is an example of one of those kanban, ever present in Japan in the 19th century, yet quickly disappearing now. Morse recognized that it was important to preserve this form of material culture. Which is why at PEM, we have works that are not represented in any other collection either here in the United States or Japan. Sophisticated art, as well as everyday objects that museums typically did not collect, make PEM's Japanese collection absolutely unique. This is a totally fabulous toy shop sign in the form of Daruma. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck. I just love the expression in his eyebrows!
I will meet you next in PEM’s gallery of South Asian Art. Turn around and walk through the doors on your left. You’ll pass through our library gallery and straight into the gallery of South Asian Art.