When that show closes on Jan. 28, the Rothko will join the permanent-collection galleries.

WSJ: A Rothko Fills a Gap at Crystal Bridges Museum

Mr. Carpenter, who was appointed curator of Japanese art in July 2011, devotes about a fifth of the permanent exhibition space to ancient artifacts and Buddhist art and uses the remaining galleries to stage six-month-long installations, each illustrating an aspect of Japanese art.

WSJ: Flights of Feathered Fancy | Birds in the Art of Japan | Metropolitan Museum of Art | By Lee Lawrence