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。