Asian Heritage Month Program:
In the late-19th century a craze for Japanese art, aesthetics and craftsmanship swept Europe and the United States, radically transforming visual culture. American painters associated with the Cos Cob art colony, including John Henry Twachtman and J. Alden Wier, drew inspiration from Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Artist Childe Hassam frequently dressed his models in Japanese kimonos while posed in the colonial surroundings of the Bush-Holley House, and boardinghouse proprietor Constant Holley MacRae filled the house with Japanese-inspired floral arrangements.
In this curator-guided tour, visitors will explore the Bush-Holley House with a focus on learning how Japanese art and culture were understood and imitated by American artists of the Cos Cob art colony. Visitors will also receive an introduction to the life and work of artist Genjiro Yeto (1867-1924), a Japanese immigrant who frequented the Holley family boardinghouse, and established a career as a successful illustrator of books for American audiences.
Enjoy shopping and refreshments at the Greenwich Historical Society’s Tavern Garden Market, open to shoppers from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Museum Lobby and Tavern Garden Courtyard before or after your tour.
Tour tickets also include self-guided access to the Greenwich Historical Society Museum Galleries.
Visitors please note these tours will be conducted in English. A Japanese language Print Guide to the Bush-Holley House is available upon request.
Please select your preferred time below to register for the tour.
Register for our May 4 tour dates here:
