Marks of Enlightenment, Traces of Devotion: Japanese Calligraphy and Painting from the Sylvan Barnet and William Burto Collection

Sylvan Barnet and William Burto, Harvard University alumni and emeritus Boston-area professors, have been collecting exquisitely beautiful and profound works of Japanese art for over 40 years. This exhibition — an introduction to the religious, literary, and calligraphic traditions of Japan — features more than 70 objects from the 8th through the 20th century, placing special emphasis on sumptuous, painstakingly rendered Buddhist scriptures and powerful examples of monochrome Zen calligraphy that dazzle viewers with their elegance, simplicity, and expressive force. The show also includes examples of “casual” writings such as poems, diary accounts, and letters rendered by notable Japanese cultural figures in flowing phonetic script or more densely packed Chinese characters; religious paintings (including two of the world’s finest mandalas, or cosmic diagrams, and a very important Zen portrait); and a few select Buddhist sculptures, ritual implements, and devotional items interred by pious believers in the hope of preserving the faith.

Organized by Anne Rose Kitagawa, Assistant Curator of Japanese Art, Arthur M. Sackler Museum.

This exhibition was organized by the Anthony M. Solomon Fund.