This 1876 Japanese Ceramics Booth Launched a Global Obsession

At the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Japan presented ceramics to an international audience on a spectacular scale. Vases, lacquerware and other crafted objects filled a display designed to be noticed. Look beyond the famous pieces to discover how this exhibition helped shape overseas ideas about Japanese craftsmanship, design and the cultural ambitions of the early Meiji period.