The Walter and Susan Schenker Course in the Humanities/Creative Arts

Since the middle of the nineteenth century, Japan has shared with America a long and fruitful artistic exchange. At international fairs, the exquisite craftsmanship of Japanese objects became the focus of admiration by Europeans and Americans alike, provoking a cult of emulation in the West and, in Japan, an important industry creating crafts to appeal to Western tastes. 

The Paris Fair of 1867 was the first at which Japan was represented, but it was for the Centennial Exhibition, held in Philadelphia in 1876, that Japan made its first serious effort to sway public opinion through the sophistication and quality of the exhibits they displayed. Americans were dazzled by the exquisite porcelains, bronzes, silks, embroideries, and lacquerware. By the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Americans nearly idolized the crafts of the Japanese. 

Using the strong American and Asian collections housed in the Johnson Museum and the catalogue for the upcoming exhibition JapanAmerica: Points of Contact, 1876–1970, this course will examine the cross-cultural artistic dialogue between these countries through masterpieces in a variety of media, produced by both.

This program is part of Cornell’s Adult University (CAU), which offers acclaimed education vacations designed and led by Cornell faculty. Programs include off-campus travel adventures and weeklong on-campus summer courses open to all, including Cornell alumni, families, and friends.

For more information and to register, visit cau.cornell.edu, e-mail cauinfo@cornell.edu, or call 607.255.6260.