East and West Intersect in Exquisite Japanese Prints at the Legion

The Legion of Honor Museum opened its doors on April 11 to welcome donors and supporters to the opening of Japanese Prints in Transition: From the Floating World to the Modern World, presented by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The exhibit explores the cultural evolution that resulted from Japan’s increased contact with Western influences in the late 1800s.

Dignitaries who turned out for the reception, including Consul General of Japan Yo Osumi and Deputy Consul General of Japan, Jimmy Kishimori were joined
by Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Thomas P. Campbell, former Curator in Charge of the Achenbach Foundation, Karin Breuer and the current Curator in Charge of the Achenbach Foundation, Furio Rinaldi. Guests explored a collection that highlights the late 19-century transition from the delicate
“floating world” woodcuts to the more vigorous woodblock prints of Western architecture and modern military warfare that characterized the Meiji period. The exhibit hones in on the work of one artist, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, who successfully
spanned both eras.

The nearly 150 prints are part of the Fine Arts Museums permanent collection which are on display for the first time in over a decade. They will be on view exclusively at the Legion of Honor through August 18.