Iannello Tiziana, "Art and Science between West and East: European Glass in Edo Japan, 1603–1867

Iannello Tiziana, "Art and Science between West and East: European Glass in Edo Japan, 1603–1867 (Arte e scienza tra Occidente e Oriente: Il vetro europeo nel Giappone Edo (1603–1867)". Journal of Glass Studies, vol. 61 (2019), pp. 209-225.

 

In the mid-16th century, European glass was introduced to Japan, facilitating the encounter of the archipel with Western art, technology, and science. Glasses from the West affect­ed Japanese society in three main respects: (1) the use of glassware in daily life; (2) the diffusion of artifacts for decorative and artistic purposes; and (3) technology and scientific knowledge through glass apparatus for empirical, medical, or chemical use, fostering experimental methods and answering speculative questions. This article surveys the role of glass in Edo Japan from a multidisciplinary perspective.