Intersection of Spaces: A Journey Through Japanese Museums

Author: Lu Zhonglian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-05-01
Features: A museum is a place where souls meet. The cultural differences between Eastern and Western museums are significant. Japanese museums present a distinct form compared to Western European museums, holding the pioneering significance of Asia. This book selects some unique and renowned museums in Japan, offering a space for soulful encounters from three perspectives: the collection of essence of traditional Japanese culture, Western collections (especially art), and emerging and distinctive collections. The book is printed on copperplate paper with 168 color illustrations, exquisitely crafted! It first selects some unique and renowned museums and introduces them into three major categories. These three categories include museums dedicated to collecting the essence of traditional Japanese culture, museums that actively developed with a focus on Western collections (especially art) since the Meiji Restoration, and museums that have become increasingly diverse and distinctive in their development. It is hoped that this combination will be helpful to those who come to Japan specifically to explore museums or those who happen to develop an interest in the topic.
Excerpt: National Museum of Western Art
Address: 7-7 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0007
Phone: 03-3828-5131 / 03-3272-8600
Transportation: Get off at Ueno Station on the Yamanote Line, exit via Park Gate, and walk for 1 minute.
Opening Hours: 9:30–17:00 (until 30 minutes before closing on Fridays, 19:00)
Closed: Mondays (closed the next day on holidays), December 28–January 4
Admission: Adults ￥420, university/high school students ￥130, elementary/middle school students ￥70. Group discounts available for 20 or more people (20% off). Special exhibition tickets not included.
Facilities: Restaurant, café, research room, etc.
Collection: Rubens' "Abundance," Monet's "Water Lilies," Renoir's "Parisienne with Algiers Wind," Rodin's "The Portal of Hell," "The Thinker," and more, including paintings, sketches, and prints.
Exiting the park gate of Ueno Station on the Yamanote Line, cross the street, and you will see the National Museum of Western Art in front of the Tokyo Cultural Center. That gray cube building is the National Museum of Western Art. Designed by the renowned French architect Auguste Perret, it is his only work in Asia. The architecture is not as grand as one might imagine, but it has an unexpected simplicity and stability. Rodin's famous masterpiece, "The Portal of Hell," is placed at the edge of the large plaza, leaning against one side of the forest. The location may not be very prominent, but in front of the work, one can still feel the grandeur and dramatic tension of "The Portal of Hell."
The collection of Rodin's works is one of the highlights of the National Museum of Western Art. In addition to "The Portal of Hell" in the courtyard, there are also "The Thinker" (1880–1900, bronze, 186×102×144 cm) and "The Burghers of Calais" (1884–1888, bronze), totaling 56 pieces. In terms of the number of Rodin's works, it ranks second only to the Rodin Museum in Paris.
The collection of the National Museum of Western Art primarily consists of works acquired by Matsukata Kojiro, the former president of Kawasaki Shipbuilding, from various parts of Europe during the Taisho and Showa periods in Japan. During World War II, to avoid damage from the war, Matsukata's collection was donated to the French government. After the war, the French government returned this collection of 371 pieces, including paintings, watercolors, sketches, prints, sculptures, and documents, primarily focused on French art. The National Museum of Western Art was established in 1959 under this opportunity. Today, the museum's collection includes over 2,000 pieces.
In terms of paintings, it includes works from various European countries after the Renaissance. Stylistically, it is dominated by the works of Impressionist artists such as édouard Manet (1832–1888), Renoir, and Camille Pissarro (1831–1903). Among these, Monet's works are the most abundant in both quality and quantity. The 12 works collected by Matsukata, including "Water Lilies," plus three later acquisitions, bring the total number of Monet's works to 15. For those who love Monet (picture omitted).