Japanese Art

First phase completed successfully. We’re at the Park Inn at Heathrow having dropped Doreen off at Gatwick where she was met by her daughter and taken up to Edinburgh while we’re away.

We went on to Polesden Lacey National Trust nearby for lunch and a look around the summer country home of the Honourable Mrs Maggie Greville, daughter of the Scottish brewing baron William McEwan. She was fabulously wealthy, entertained royalty (Edward VII), European royals and the top society people.

She travelled extensively, collecting wherever she went. At the house was an exhibition of her Asian collection which became today’s blip which is the cover of “Ornamental Arts of Japan” by George Ashdown Audsley Vol 1, 1884. It contains illustrative examples of Japanese art. I didn’t get to see inside but the cover was fascinating. I’m not especially taken by oriental art so this was a good opportunity to get more intimately associated with drawings, paintings and some most intriguing porcelain. Thank you for hosting KangaZu.