#fowler museum

Dressed with Distinction: Garments from Ottoman Syria

Now through August 25, 201, the Fowler Museum at UCLA has on display clothing worn by both the people of Ottoman Syria dating from the late 19th and Early 20th Centuries. In the cities of Syria, people wore silk garments that were brightly decorated as you see in the two top images. The gold and the gold and blue are both part of a man’s cloak made in the early 20th Century, both hand woven and hand sewn. The Bedouins were nomads and they wore instead clothing made from wool like the coat of blue and red in the third pictures. The exhibition focuses on who wore such clothing and for what occasions as well as the appreciating the skill of the weavers.

X89.847 Votive plaque (ema)

Object Name: Votive plaque (ema) Place of Origin: Japan Date: 1917 Materials Used: Wood and paint Dimensions: H: 22.7 cm, W: 30.0 cm, D: 1.0 cm (H: 8.9 in, W: 11.8 in, D: .39 in) Credit Line and Accession Number: Fowler Museum at UCLA. Gift of Dr. Daniel C. Holtom. X89.847

In Japan, people who seek divine assistance in overcoming difficulties may place a votive offering known as an ema in a Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine. The illustrations on the ema reflect the petitioner’s problem. Petitioners may paint their own illustration, but as far back as the Edo period (1600-1868), ema were also painted in commercial studios and offered for sale to clients. The petitioner typically added an inscription to the purchased ema, often including a personal name and date. An ema is also sometimes presented simply as an expression of thanks to the deities.

Ema with snake motifs are usually presented at temples dedicated to the goddess Benzaiten, the Japanese version of the Hindu goddess Saraswati. Found in Buddhist and popular religious traditions in Japan, Benzaiten is associated with music, speech, intelligence, happiness, and prosperity. Through their connection with the goddess, snakes are believed to bring financial prosperity and also to cure sickness.

Exhibition Wall Text: Intersections: World Arts, Local Lives, 2006

By Don Rose

---

In a tweet, the Fowler Museum (@FowlerMuseum), located on the UCLA campus, stated: "The Fowler will reopen Wednesday, February 2. We look forward to welcoming you back! Our new hours are Wed–Sun, 12–5pm."

The Best Exhibits at Museums and Galleries in L.A. in March

We’re blessed with an abundance of museums and art galleries here in L.A., but with so many shows rotating in and out at any given time, it can be hard to keep up. Nobody wants to be the person who only finds out about a cool exhibit when it’s closing down and heading out of town. To help you make the most of your gallery-going, consult our monthly guide to the best museum exhibits in L.A.

New…

Striking Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths

Marla C. Berns, Shirley & Ralph Shapiro Director invites you to our opening weekend events

SATURDAY, JUNE 2 6pm: Lecture “Potency Conveyed with a Hammer’s Blow” In this opening presentation, lead curator Tom Joyce reveals the skill and innovation of African blacksmiths in transforming one of Earth’s most basic natural resources into objects of utility, empowerment, and beauty. Intimately trained in…