Murase Myōdō 村瀬明道, Breaking Waves in the Pines (Shōtō), late 1900s. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.155. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Her Brush

Japanese Women Artists from the Fong-Johnstone Collection

Murase Myōdō 村瀬明道, Breaking Waves in the Pines (Shōtō), late 1900s. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.155. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Kiyohara (Kanō) Yukinobu 清原雪信, The Goddess Benzaiten and Her Lute (biwa), 1660–1680s. Hanging scroll; ink, color and gold on silk. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.150. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Ono no Ozū (or Ono no Otsū) 小野お通, The Deified Sugawara Michizane Crossing to China (Totō Tenjin), early 1600s. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.152. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Murase Myōdō 村瀬明道, Mu (emptiness) and Kan (quietude), late 1900s. Table screen; ink on paper with wood frame. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.154A-C. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Murase Myōdō 村瀬明道, Breaking Waves in the Pines (Shōtō), late 1900s. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.155. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Nakabayashi Seishuku 中林清淑, Blossoming Plum and Bamboo, 1893. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.194. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Various artists, Turtles on New Year’s Morn, about 1894. Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.202. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Tagami Kikusha 田上菊舎, Hermit/Self-Portrait, early 1800s. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.222. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Calligraphy by Ōtagaki Rengetsu 太田垣蓮月 and Painting by Wada Gesshin 和田月心, Stag and Poem, 1865–70. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.245. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Okuhara Seiko 奥原晴湖, Flowering Plants of the Four Seasons, 1898. Painting on cabinet doors; ink and color on paper mounted on wooden panels. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.247A-B. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Ōtagaki Rengetsu, 太田垣蓮月, Hanging Flower Vase in Shape of Hechima Gourd (hana ike), 1791–1875. Stoneware. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone for the Denver Art Museum, 2021.184. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Look Inside the Exhibition

Watch this sneak peek of Her Brush: Japanese Women Artists from the Fong-Johnstone Collection and find more videos on the DAM's YouTube.

Wood cabinet doors featuring an ink and color painting of flowers

Okuhara Seiko 奥原晴湖, Flowering Plants of the Four Seasons, 1898. Painting on cabinet doors; ink and color on paper mounted on wooden panels. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.247A-B. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Online Exhibition Guide

An online guide is available for select exhibitions, allowing visitors to take a closer look at the artworks and corresponding wall text. Look for a QR code inside the exhibition to load the guide onto your phone or browse online ahead of your visit.

Ink on paper calligraphy encased in a table screen with a wooden frame

Murase Myōdō 村瀬明道, Mu (emptiness) and Kan (quietude), late 1900s. Table screen; ink on paper with wood frame. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Drs. John Fong and Colin Johnstone, 2018.154A-C. Photo © Denver Art Museum

Publications

Browse through an online companion catalog to the exhibition, with a foreword by Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director, Denver Art Museum, and essays by Dr. John Fong, curator Einor Cervone, and more artists and scholars.

Share your visit with #HerBrush and #DenverArtMuseum

Her Brush: Japanese Women Artists from the Fong-Johnstone Collection is organized by the Denver Art Museum and made possible through the generous gift of the John Fong and Colin Johnstone collection. Support is provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Blakemore Foundation, the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine and CBS Colorado.