On now
Joan Courtois Gallery. Stairwell

The Macdonald Collection brings together over 300 objects made in Japan, China, and Europe in the 1600s and 1700s and donated to the Gardiner Museum by William and the late Molly Anne Macdonald. The Macdonalds’ collecting journey was first sparked by an admiration for the imperfect beauty of early Japanese porcelain often characterized by a taste for asymmetry, spontaneous decoration, or uneven shapes. What they called an “adventure in search of imperfection” led to the formation of a unique collection that traces the rise of Arita’s porcelain industry while highlighting the role of ceramics in fostering global connections. At the heart of their vision was a desire to demonstrate how Japanese Kakiemon-style porcelain functioned as both a vehicle for the exchange of ideas and a source of inspiration for makers in other parts of the world.

For the first time, the Macdonald Collection is on view in its entirety throughout the Museum. Spanning the three levels of the Museum’s stairwell, the Courtois Gallery features a special display that invites you to discover Japanese porcelain from the early Edo period (1603–1868) and Japanese-inspired ceramics through the themes of nature, leisure, and global trade. Continue your visit in the Macdonald Gallery of Japanese Porcelain and Its Influence on the second floor to delve deeper into some of these histories.