The Connoisseur’s Eye: Art Appraisal in the Edo Period

The act of appraisal—the evaluation of the authenticity and value of works of art—requires specialized knowledge for identifying the subject matter of a painting, the nature of an object, the creator or place of creation of an artwork, and other relevant details. In the Edo period, the Hon'ami family of sword polishers, the Gotō family of sword fitting makers, the Kohitsu family of calligraphers, the Kano and Sumiyoshi painting schools, and the headmasters of the respective tea ceremony lineages conducted appraisals of works in their respective genres. This exhibition explores the nature of the appraisal process through expert-appraised artworks in conjunction with the written certificates of appraisal, authentication slips, box inscriptions and other records of these appraisers’ assessments, which were conducted at a time before the invention of instruments for scientific analysis or precision photography for documentation.