Edo Avant Garde

The Guardians of Edo Avant-Garde reveals the pivotal role Japanese artists of the Edo era (1603 – 1868) played in setting the stage for the “modern art” movement in the West. During the Edo era, while a pacified Japan isolated itself from the world, audacious Japanese artists innovated stylization, abstraction, minimalism, surrealism, geometric composition and the illusion of 3-D.

Educational Modules

MODULE 1
Introducing the Edo era: Why did Japanese artists create so much innovative art?

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MODULE 2
How Japanese Buddhism and Shintoism influenced Edo era art

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MODULE 3
The significance of Edo period artists observing nature to create art

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MODULE 4
Formats and Techniques: How did Edo Period Japanese Live with Art?

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The Educational Modules are made possible by support from The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership

Project Director: Linda Hoaglund

Curriculum and Supervisor: Brenda G. Jordan

Curriculum: Kachina Leigh

Curriculum: Angela Stokes

Editorial Support: Stephen Wludarski

Audio Pronunciation Files: Yuko Eguchi with Joseph Alter, Seung-Hwan Shin, Haixia Wang

Web Design: Takaaki Okada

Additional Support: National Consortium for Teaching About Asia