PRESS RELEASE April 2004

Commemorating The 2005 Exposition, Aichi, Arts of East and West from World Expositions ～1855-1900 Paris, Vienna and Chicago～

Organizers: National Museum, NHK, NHK Promotions, Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc., Municipal Museum of Art, Nagoya City Museum Co-organizer: Japan Association for the 2005 World Exposition With the Assistance of: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Agency for Cultural Affairs With the Sponsorship of: Oji Paper Group, OBAYASHI CORPORATION, PRINTING CO.,LTD., MOTOR CORPORATION With the Cooperation of: , INC., KAWASHIMA TEXTILE MANIFACTURES LTD., Japan Airlines, Austrian Airlines

Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park) July 6 (Tue.)～August 29 (Sun.), 2004

■■ Media Inquiries (media only)■■ PR Office for the World Exposition Exhibition Kyodo Public Relations Co., Ltd. (ATTN: Ms Imai) 7-2-22 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8158 TEL：03-3571-5171 FAX：03-3574-1005 Arts of East and West from World Expositions ～1855-1900 Paris, Vienna and Chicago～

The special exhibition Arts of East and West from World Expositions ～1855-1900 Paris, Vienna and Chicago～ will be held in commemoration of the International Exposition of Japan in 2005. Traveling back through time, the stage of this special exhibition is the era remembered as that of “World Expositions,” introducing the age through Japanese works of decorative art, stirring up the West with admiration and astonishment, as well as through Western art, grandly staged at several Paris Expositions. The main foci of the section on Japanese decorative art are World Expositions held during the first half of the Meiji period (1867-1900), thereby emphasizing Japanese export art on one hand and antique art on the other. The appraisal in the latter part of the section reveals insight into the then new role of decorative art at the end of the 19th century. Furthermore, it traces the footsteps of contemporary artists who exerted themselves for a new development of decorative art towards the 20th century. The Western Art section introduces works exhibited at the Paris Expositions held in 1855, 1867, 1878, 1889, and 1900. The impact of the expositions on the Western art world as the center, it will partly highlight activities outside the World Expositions as well, such as Manet or Rodin, who exhibited their work parallel to, yet outside the expositions. A special exhibition brimming with the atmosphere and energy of the “19th century World Expositions” era, it is truly worthy of being “Centennial Celebration”.

GENERAL INFORMATION

【Title】Commemorating the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan Arts of East and West from World Expositions -1855-1900 Paris, Vienna and Chicago- 【Period】Tuesday, July 6 - Sunday, August 29, 2004 【Venue】 Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum（Ueno Park） 【Access】 10 minutes walk from JR Ueno Station (Park Exit) or Uguisudani Station 15 minutes walk from Ueno Station of Tokyo Metro Ginza/Hibiya line 15 minutes walk from Keisei Ueno Station of Keisei line 【Hours】9:30-17:00, Every Friday until 20:00; Saturdays, Sundays and Bank holidays until 18:00 (Last entry is 30 minutes before the closing time.) Open daily except for July 12, 2004 University Hign School Admissions Adult Students Students Same day ¥1,300 ¥900 ¥800 Advance ¥1,100 ¥800 ¥700 Group ¥950 ¥510 ¥450 ※Free entry for elementary and middle school students (valid ID required) ※Group is more than 20 people entering together. ※Ticket price includes admission to regular exhibitions. ※Persons with disabilities are allowed free entry with one accompanying guest. Valid identification requested upon entry. ※Advance tickets are on sale by May 6 at the major ticket offices. 【Organizers】Tokyo National Museum, NHK, NHK Promotions, Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc., Osaka Municipal Museum of Art, Nagoya City Museum 【General Inquiries】03-3822-1111【Web site】http://www.tnm.jp/

1 ※Images are available upon request (digital or prints). Please contact with the PR Office (Kyodo PR: 03-3571-5171).

―Exhibition Structure ＆ Highlights Exhibitions―

I. World Expositions and Japanese Decorative Arts 1. World Expositions : East meets West World expositions were the very place where the West encountered the East. It was with astonishment that the West embraced the decorative art of Japan, an art born out of technical fineness. Japan itself eagerly consumed the technology and new styles of the West. The export decorative art of the Meiji period is introduced here as an individual entity first inspired by the encounter with the West, sure to transmit the brimming energy of the Meiji period. However, the other aspect introduced at the expositions, which astounded the West, was Japanese decorative art as the antique art of Japan. The section “History of Decorative Art Exported” is dedicated to this aspect.

1. Cloisonné Kankodori O-daiko drum

Artist unknown Meiji period,ca. 1873 Total Height: 158.0cm The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889 (89.4.1236) Exhibited at the Vienna Exposition, 1873 (Weltausstellung 1873 Wien)

Footed Bowl with crabs in brown glaze by MIYAGAWA, Kozan Important Cultural Property Meiji period, 1881 H: 37.0cm , Mouth D: 19.6*39.7cm , Foot D: 17.1cm Tokyo National Museum Exhibited at the Second National Industrial Exposition of Japan, 1881

Maki-e Panel in the shape of a fan with design of “Autumnal Grass and Moon” by IKEDA, Taishin Meiji period, 1873 L: 39cm, W:73.0cm MAK-Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art, Vienna Exhibited at the Vienna Exposition, 1873 (Weltausstellung 1873 Wien)

©MAK-Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art, Vienna

2 ※Images are available upon request (digital or prints). Please contact with the PR Office (Kyodo PR: 03-3571-5171).

―Exhibition Structure ＆ Highlights Exhibitions―

1. World Expositions : East meets West

4. Large ornamental incense burner with auspicious design of Chinese children performing lion dance

Artist unknown Meiji period,ca. 1876 H: 186.0cm Philadelphia Museum of Art, The George W. B. Taylor Collection, bequest of Mrs. Mary E. Taylor, 1917 Exhibited at the Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1876

＜Reference Materials＞ 5. Exhibit of Japan, Vienna Exposition, 1873

6. Entrance of the Japan Exhibit in the Art Pavilion, World’s Columbian Exposition, 1893

3 ※Images are available upon request (digital or prints). Please contact with the PR office (Kyodo PR: 03-3571-5171)

―Exhibition Structure ＆ Highlights Exhibitions―

2. Making Decorative Art part of Fine Art : the Road to the 20 Century of Decorative Arts The passing of time had unquestionably changed the role of decorative art. From the biggest export article, it took on the role of "Japanese decorative art as art" towards the end of the 19th century. The focus here is on the world exposition in Chicago, 1893, when Japan proclaimed decorative art as its "art". The last exposition of the 19th century, the Paris exposition, is renowned as the exposition of Art Nouveau. At this exposition, Japanese decorative art too, amplified its evolution and diversification towards the 20th century. Several compact themes in the special exhibition, such as the "Kawajima Jinbei and the Liege Chamber," draw attention to the diversity of the subject.

Highlights in this section

7. Large cloisonne incense burner with design of cherry trees, flocking chickens, and rising sun by HAYASHI, Kihyoe, et.al. Meiji period, 1893 H: 216.0cm Art Promotion Co. Exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893

8. Shukongoshin (Vajrapani) by OKAZAKI, Sessei

Meiji period, 1893 H. of statue: 255.0cm, H. including pedestal: 320.5cm Aizu Museum, Waseda University Exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893

9. Tapestry with motif of the Nikko Festival by KAWASHIMA, Jinbe II

Meiji Period, 1893 381 x 686 cm The Field Museum, Chicago Exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893

©The Field Museum, #A112796c

4 ※Images are available upon request (digital or prints). Please contact with the PR office (Kyodo PR: 03-3571-5171)

―Exhibition Structure ＆ Highlights Exhibitions―

II. Western Art at the World Expositions Art was the third main focus as well as a hot topic of conversation at the world expositions, after industry and technology. The world expositions fundamentally had the futuristic concept of a "Gala of Progression". Yet the first Paris Exposition held in 1855 had turned rather into a grand demonstration of Frances own art, with the simultaneous opening of the "Salon". Aside from the official art exhibitions there were various venues such as national pavilions where artists exerted their ingenuity to compete. In this environment the border between art and industry gradually began to fade, until the full blossoming of the industrial art of Art Nouveau at the1900 Paris Exposition.

Highlights of this section

10. Table Setting, “Le Jeu de l'echarpe" by Leonard Agathon, dated 1900

H: 42cm Musee National de la Ceramique, Sevres Exhibited at the Paris Exposition, 1900 (Exposition Universelle)

11. The Birth of Venus (La Naissance de Venus) by Alexandre Cabanel, 1863

132.1 x 228.6cm Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France Exhibited at the Paris Exposition, 1867

12. The Central Dome at the Universal Exposition, 1889 (La Dome central a l'Exposition universelle de 1889) by Louis Belou, dated 1890 198cm×164.5cm Musée Carnavalet , Paris, France

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