The exhibition “Women in Japan” is extended at the Sástago Palace until February 2

The Provincial Council of Zaragoza has extended until 2 February the exhibition “Women in Japan. Four centuries of ukiyo-e and shin-hanga” which has been on display since October at the Sástago Palace and which is having a great acceptance by the public: this weekend it exceeded 60,000 visitors. Specifically, on Sunday it reached 61,131 visitors.

The DPZ has thus extended the time period for viewing this exhibition, which includes 146 Japanese prints from the 17th to the mid-20th centuries; 6 illustrated books from the 18th and 19th centuries; and other pieces from the 19th century, such as a 19th-century magazine and an illustrated scroll from the same period. All of these collections belong to the prestigious Pasamar-Onila collection and have been presented to the public for the first time.

DATES AND GUIDED TOURS

During the Christmas holidays , the exhibition will be closed on several days: tomorrow, December 24, December 25, December 31 and January 1. On other days, the exhibition will remain open as usual: Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00, and on Sundays and public holidays from 11:00 to 14:00. This will continue until it closes on Sunday, February 2.

Guided tours can be booked on 680 814 100 or by email at reservaspsastago@gmail.com . There are various guided tour options: from Tuesday to Saturday you can book at 11.30 and 18.30 to visit the palace; and at 12.30 and 19.30 to see the exhibition. On Sundays and holidays, visits are only in the morning. In addition, there are guided tours for children (for boys and girls between 3 and 9 years old) on Saturdays at 18.30.

THE HISTORY OF JAPAN THROUGH WOMEN

The exhibition begins in the main courtyard, where works from the origins of Japanese printmaking, in the ukiyo-e style, between the 17th and 18th centuries, are on display. Pieces will also be on display that demonstrate the influence of Japanese art in Europe through its collectors.

The exhibition continues in the hall of arches. One area displays the work of Utamaro, one of the greatest creators in the history of printmaking, related to the “bijinga” genre, beautiful women according to the artist’s canon. Another area follows in the footsteps of the master and focuses on Eizan and his disciple Eisen, ending the tour in a space dedicated to the influence of the “Tale of Gengi”, written by a woman around the year 1000, on printmaking by authors such as Kunisada or Eisen.

The last part of “Women in Japan” is on display in Room I and focuses on printmaking in the Meiji period (from 1868). The exhibition continues in Room II, which focuses on the 20th century with works that reflect the revival of Japanese printmaking between the beginning of the 20th century and after World War II.

The exhibition concludes with “ The shunga genre: sex and eroticism in ukiyo-e printing” , with works from the 18th and 19th centuries, which will serve as the culmination of the tour of an exhibition that will take visitors through the history of Japan, from the imperial court, with its ladies, courtesans and poets, to famous places such as Edo (present-day Tokyo), Mount Fuji, the Sumida River or the lovers’ beds.