Théodore Chassériau Parfum Exotique

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎  Recommendable for all / Not to miss for enthusiast
Official Site
National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
until 28th May, 2017

A hybrid of Ingres and Delacroix, and the forerunner of Moreau, could be Théodore Chassériau.  Who is him after all? This challenging exhibition might be an answer.

Works by a young promising pupil of Ingres' is impressive.  Copy of Portrait of a Spanish Lady of 16th Century (cat.2) is the best work of this exhibition.  Any art enthusiast will instantly recognize that the original work was one by El Greco.  It is a reinterpretation of El Greco through aesthetics of Ingres, and, in front of the lady, 4 paris of eyes (the model, Greco, Ingres and Chassériau) look in your soul at the same time.

The evidence of being an ideal pupil can be also seen in early drawings (cat. 52 and 53), which could be mistaken with Ingres' at a glance.  But some kind of hardness leads to slightly different impression. It seems Chassériau himself supposed he would remain second and substitute to Ingres as far as he is a good pupil.

So he had to fly away from the great master.  How? Customary explanation is obtaining colour through approaching Delacroix, but the painter himself denied the thesis.  Nymph Sleeping Near Fountain (cat. 48) might be a clue.  The body line and skin is evidently after Tiziano and the hair suggests its source in Velázquez, while Ingres seems rivaling with Raffaello.

Photos are official ones provided by the organizers of the exhibition (to protect privacy, images of preview guests have been trimmed from the original photos provided)

The quest for clour, which is so vivid in Jewish Woman in Constantine (cat. 66), might have come from Venezian school also.

Strength of eyes in his portraits is invariable element in his works.  The work on the catalogue cover, Portrait of Miss Cabarrus, is not exception.  The gaze is in delicate harmony with cool color tones.

Photos are official ones provided by the organizers of the exhibition (to protect privacy, images of preview guests have been trimmed from the original photos provided)

Grand Reopening Exhibition – Masterpieces from the Museum’s Collection ＋ and Hiroshi Sugimoto’s “Seascapes: Atami”

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎ Excellent and Highly Recommendable
Official Site

Site: MOA Museum of Art
Until 14th March, 2017
Taking photograph allowed for general visitors

There is several private museums in Tokyo suburbs which deserves one day trip.  MOA Museum of Art in Atami is among them.

With advanced museum glass and perfect lighting, every masterpieces can be seen as if it is without glass in natural light in natural indoor lighting within traditional Japanese maison.

Red and White Plum Trees Partition shows Ogata Korin's genius in purposeful abstraction, not mere stylization, backed by the skill of realistic expression if intended.　He could make good friends rivals with Picaso or Klimt.  His works are with flight of free sprits, which differentiate him from his followers in what they call Rinpa school.

Women in Snow, Moon and Blossom by Kasukawa Shunsho

Two Beaties by Katsushika Hokusai

Two Beaties by Kitagawa Utamaro

Women in Snow, Moon and Blossom by Katsukawa Shunsho is in the summit of the feminine elegance ever achieved, along with Botticelli.  While Hokusai explored for more idealization than his master in Two Beaties, Utamaro approached another side of women's charm.

Taira no Kanemori, a fragment of 36 Poets Scroll (Satake ver.)

Avalokitesvara in White Robes by Kichizan Mincho (1452)

Kanzan by Ichizan Ichinei

Taira no Kanemori is the best of the fragments of 36 Poets Scroll (Stake ver.) I have ever seen.  Avalokitesvara in White Robe is unique in the most relaxed posture connecting tranquil mountains and dynamic streams in contrast.  It was in 74 years old when the painter created the work.  Kazan by Ichinei is an ideal of a zen monk relieved from secular life.

Standing Avalokistesvara, Sui period

Seated Avalokitesvara, high Tang period

Standing Ekadasamkha, Nara period

 Buddist scrupture masterworks are also not to miss.   Gold-gilded figures from China are all representative ones.  While the Sui Avalokitesvara is of slim sophistication, the high Tang counterpart is natural.  Parallel speedy change in taste and style could be seen between early Rinaschiment and high Rinaschiment human proportion.  Roman Britain was a good pupil of Mediterranean arts, so was Japan in Nara period in relation of Tang culture.

Solitary  Fisherman in a Wintery River, traditionally attributed to Ma Lin

This painting is my favorite from Yuan period, letting one recite the famous poem Jianxue by Liu Zongyuan: 
千山鳥飛絶，
萬徑人蹤滅。
孤舟簑笠翁，
獨釣寒江雪。

Museum Membership

Museum Membeship cards or passports are essential for frequent resident visitors to specific museum.  Not only free entry, but also special preview or free catalogue could be enjoyed．Some cases, the menbership could be regarded as donation for tax deduction.

The following are examples:
Tokyo National Museum
Nara National Museum
Suntory Museum of Art
Nezu Museum
Tokyo Fuji Art Museum

Also remember:
Kohukuji Temple

If I were living in Europe, I would join:
Museo Nacional del Prado
Gallerie degli Uffizi

Eternal Treasures from Kasugataisha Shrine

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎ Never to miss for all
Official Site

Site: Tokyo National Museum
Until: 12th March, 2017

Kasugataisha is one of greatest Shinto shrines, dating back to 8th century.

One of the best Painted Scrolls ("Emaki") is here: "Kasuga Gongen Genki-E" (circa 1309, cat. 153 & 154) by Takashina no Takakane, with vivid color and authentic court style in tranquility, original of which is in former Imperial Collection and now under long-term restoration project.  It is of so beauty that even copies made by Edo-period painters are still of charm.

The core of the exhibition consists of the best medieval artifacts contributed to Kasuga deities.  Aesthetics of "Kuge" (nobilities of ancient blood) embody oneself in Lacquered Zither (cat. 23), Flat Quiver (cat. 46) and Sword Mounting with Tweezer-shaped Opening in Handle and Cats Hunting Sparrows on Lacquered Sheath(cat. 58): gentleness, sophistication and slow rhythm.

On the other hand, the taste of Samurais takes form in the grandeur of Armors with Red Lacing (cat. 185 and 186) and Sword Mounting with Scattered Signatures on Lacquered Sheath.  It is the rare occasion that the two Armors with Red Lacing, both National Treasure, could be seen at the same time.  Many masterwork swords, with fine steel and mysterious pattern which can rival with Damascus blades, are also there.

Kasugataisha Shrine used to be integrated with Buddhist Kofukuji Temple.  When they were artificially separated in early Meiji era, not a few Buddhist arts in Kasugataisha went to antique market, and then to museum collections.  Among them are such masterpieces as elegant Manusri Seated on a Lion (cat. 124), infant-faced Standing Ekadasamkha (cat. 133) small but mighty Standing Manjusri (cat. 135) and splendid team of Manusri Seated on a Lion with Attendants (cat. 136).

Best 10 Art Exhibition I visited in 2016

1.  Bosco  (Museo Nacional del Prado)

2. Ingres (Museo Nacional del Prado)

3. Botticelli e suo tempo (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum)

4. CARAVAGGIO and his Time: Friends, Rivals and Enemies (The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo)

5. A Journey to the Land of Immortals: Treasures of Ancient Greece (Tokyo National Museum)

6. La Pittura Parietale Romana POMPEI (Mori Arts Center Gallery)

7. Georges de La Tour (Museo Nacional del Prado)

8. Chinese Characters: A Legacy and Marvel Perfected Over Three Millenia (Tokyo Fuji Museum)

9.  Lucas Cranach the Elder (The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo)

10. Lascaux the Cave Painting of the Ice Age (National Museum of Science)

Titian and the Renaissance in Venice

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎Never to miss for all
Official Site
Official Site 2

Site: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
Until: 2nd April, 2017

It is the last of the series of grand Rinascimento-Baroque exhibitions to celebrate 150th anniversary of Japanese- Italian diplomatic relations.
The banner has been handed down by Botticelli, through Leonard, Caravaggio, Venetian school including Tiziano, and again to Tiziano.

Flora (cat. 20) and The Repentant Mary Magdalene (cat. 40) reached with the eternity in feminine elegance and natural aliveness of lady skin, which never be rivaled with even by Leonard or Raffaello, Sfumato of whom gives me more artificial or ideal taste.  Ingres might have explored for the middle of Tiziano and Raffaello.

And Portrait of Pope Paul III (cat. 38) is mixture of realism and political message, integrated into an old and tired, but still Machiavellistic or cunning image.  It is natural that Verazquez admired Tiziano.

Besides, there are more to enjoy.

While you have been tired of many dull works attributed to Veronese in museums, The Holy Family with Saint Barbara and the Child Baptist (cat. 47) weaves lights into a masterpiece.  Fame of Veronese is not fake.

Also impressive are rather minor painters, such as Marco Palmezzano (cat. 8 and 18) in somewhat Firenze taste, Marco Basaiti (cat.6) as a forerunner of surrealistic color and shape, and Bernardino Licinio (cat. 24, 26 and 34).

Some attributes cat. 25 and 27 to Giorgione, but I never agree.  The curators might be challenging your sense of beauty.

Finally, I thank generous loan of invaluable masterpieces by Italia in 2016-2017 and be shamed of rather poor counter-loan by Japan.  Why Buddist sculptures exhibited in Rome lacked first class ones? Why Jomon flame potteryies is loaned to British Museum, not counterparts in Milano or Napolis?  What about Jakuchuu or Medieval Emaki scrolls?

25 Painters

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎  Recommendable for all / Not to miss for enthusiast
Official Site

Site: The Sato Museum
Until: 5th March, 2017

Works by painters who had enjoyed scholarships by the museum.

"Byakko" (White Tiger) by Tatsuguchi Keita is a miracle integration of sophistication, passion, classics both Japanese and European, and contemporary spirit.  The sacred beast is embodied in feminine flesh.

He is the most talented painter in "nihonga" (traditional Japanese painting), who may rival with old masters in Rinascimento , such as Botticelli or Mantegna, in delicate beauty of lines.

"Ikai" (Another World) by the same author is, by contrast, is of more religious taste in monochrome.  It seems a gate to heaven in ruin, which imply the God or Gods had gone. 

His next work is to be seen at Art Fair Tokyo in coming March.