Faith and Form: Selected Calligraphy and Painting from the Japanese Religious Traditions

Fifty-six works illustrate the intimate relationships between calligraphy, painting, and faith transmission within the Japanese Buddhist and Shinto tradition. Examples on view include a gilt bronze miniature figure of Buddha at Birth, a Kamakura period altar pendant, a 13th-century 5-pronged Vajra (ritual implement), and a Wheel of the Buddhist Law. Also in the exhibition are richly illuminated sutra texts, boldly expressive Zen Buddhist aphorisms rendered in ink monochrome, portraits of Zen masters and mandala paintings dating from the 7th through 19th centuries. This is the first in a series of exhibitions showcasing important American collections of Japanese art. The exhibition features works from the Sylvan Barnet and William Burto collection as well as related works from the Freer Gallery.