The Art of Monks: Japanese Ink Painting in the Clark Collections

Presenter: Yukio Lippit, PhD

This lecture explores medieval ink painting in the Clark Collections and examines the legacy of Zen monk-painters in Japan’s Muromachi period (1392-1573). Individual works are assessed against the backdrop of larger issues, such as Chinese pictorial traditions in Japan, the influence of the Ashikaga shogunal collection, the role of painting in articulating social status, the semantics of ink-based painting subjects, the evolving role of monk-painters, and the rise of large-scale professional painting studios.

Lippit is professor of the history of art and architecture at Harvard University, where he has taught since 2003. He is widely published on the subjects.

Admission: $10; $5 for MIA members; free for members of the Asian Art Affinity Group. To reserve tickets, call (612) 870-6323 or reserve tickets online »