The New Orleans Museum of Art has opened a jewel of an exhibition: “Second Nature: Japanese Rinpa Paintings from the Gitter-Yelen Collection,” on view since October 2, 2026.
The show brings together nearly 60 paintings in formats ranging from hanging scrolls and folding screens to fans, albums, and handscrolls, plus ceramics and decorative arts — a dazzling journey through the elegance of Edo-period Japanese painting.
Most of the works come from the collection of Alice Yelen Gitter and the late Dr. Kurt A. Gitter, complemented by pieces from NOMA’s own holdings. Organized by NOMA with guest curator Yukio Lippit of Harvard University, the exhibition highlights the role of artist Sakai Hōitsu in defining the celebrated Rinpa style.
If you are in New Orleans this fall, make time for City Park: “Second Nature” is a rare chance to see these luminous works up close, and a beautiful reminder of how art connects cultures across centuries.
Photo: New Orleans Museum of Art
