On Tuesday, April 16, 2019, PhD student Ross Henderson presented “A Fistful of Incense: Basara 婆娑羅 and the Medieval Origins of Japanese Maximalism” as part of the Washin Kai Lecture Series. In the talk, Ross examined the roots of maximalist Japanese visual culture through the concept of basara 婆娑羅, a medieval expression stemming back to a distinctive aesthetic and style that emerged during the Nanbokucho period (1336-1392).
The lecture and reception was hosted by Washin Kai (Friends of Classical Japanese at UW), a group of members of the local community who support and encourage the study and teaching of classical Japanese language, literature, and culture at the University of Washington.