Storytelling in Japanese Art

Japan has enjoyed a long tradition of storytelling through paintings and illustrated books, which continues today in the popular art of manga (comic books for children and adults).

Showcasing more than 90 vibrant works drawn from the New York Public Library and other local collections, as well as works from the Metropolitan's own holdings, Storytelling in Japanese Art traces the rich history of illustrated narratives that thrived in the medieval and early modern periods of Japan.

The focus of the exhibition will be on some 20 rare illustrated handscrolls called emaki. Highlights among them will be: an exceptional fragment of the set of handscrolls nicknamed Frolicking Animals, whose parent scrolls in Japan have the designation of National Treasure and are often referred to as ancestors of modern manga; The Tale of the Drunken Demon, capturing a dramatic and gory scene of a warrior chopping off a demon's head; and the Illustrated Legend of Kitano Shrine, a set of five handscrolls that will be displayed simultaneously for the first time.

Date: until May 6.
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Sackler Wing Galleries for the Arts of Japan, 2nd Floor. 1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street), New York, NY 10028. USA.
Opening hours: from Tuesday to Thursday from 9.30am to 5.30pm. Fridays and Saturdays from 9.30am to 9pm. Sundays from 9.30am to 5.30pm.