TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM is the largest museum in Japan. It was established in 1872 and it is the oldest Japanese national museum. There are over 110,000 pieces in its collection – many antique works of art and archeological finds of Japan and other areas of Asia are open to the public in many exhibition halls. The museum comprises many buildings and it ranks among the largest museums in the world. It is beautifully situated in Ueno Park.
Hyokeikan Building was built in 1909 Toyokan Building – Asian Gallery – 1968 building designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi (1904-1979)Honkan Building – the Main Building – Japanese Gallery of 1932-1938, as the original building was severely damaged during the Great Kantó earthquake of 1923
The museum ground used to be a part of the Kan´eiji Temple. The current Main Building was where the main temple used to stand. It is thought that the gardens around it used to be the temple gardens. But there are only a few parts of the garden that retained their original form.
Impressive staircase in the Honkan Building
Standing Bishamon Ten – Vaisravana – wood with polychromy. Heian Period – 9th Century. Vaisravana is the name of one of the Four Heavenly Kings and he is an important figure of Japanese Buddhism. The body of this deity and the demon it tramples are made of a single piece of wood. Notice that the highly decorated armor of the deity is adorned with the faces of beasts on the knees and on the belly. The thickly sculptured body and the sharp precise carving are stylistic features similar to the sculpture of the Tang dynasty (618-907) in China The face of the demon under the standing Bishamon Ten, detail. Both the demon and the deity have bizarre faces with exaggerated features, especially with eyes and noseMerrymaking under Blossom Trees by Kano Naganobu (1577-1654), Screens, Color on paper, Edo Period, 17th Century, Designated as a National Treasure in 1953. This topic – noblemen and common people merry making or dancing – had appeared before in color paper scrolls. In this screen young nobleman is depicted, watching a group of young men from his porch, who are dancing for him. With its rich colors and excellent execution this work belongs to the top genre-paintings. Selected topic makes it a charming celebration of youth and spring Merrymaking under Blossom Trees by Kano Naganobu (1577-1654), Screens, Color on paper, Edo Period, 17th Century, Designated as a National Treasure in 1953. People depicted here are wearing garments with the latest design of the time. It is unclear if it portrays a particular event or setting. Both performers and the two ladies watching them are depicted under blossoming cherry trees but are divided by a curtain. This creates an interesting dramatic effect
Standing Fudo Myo´o – Acalanatha = one of the Wisdom Kings. Wood with polychromy, cut gold leaf, inlaid crystal eyes, Heian Period – 12th Century. Originally he held a sword in his right hand and a lasso in his left hand Standing Fudo Myo´o – Acalanatha. Face – detail. The crystal eyes may have been installed later, maybe in Japan´s medieval period. Bluish-black skin and fearsome expression of wrath are traits of wisdom kings. They should eliminate wordly desires Japanese Sculpture Room Juni Shinsho – Twelve heavenly generals. Set of 12 statues produced in Kenkyu era 1190-1199. Wood with polychromy and inlaid crystal eyes. They were originally kept at Sogenji temple in present day Yokosuka city, Kanagawa prefecture, close to Kamakura. Each of them has a sign of the Chinese zodiac on his head. From the front left: tiger, ox, rat, boar, horse, hare, rooster, snake, dragon, sheep, dog, monkey Juni Shinsho – Twelve heavenly generals. The statues show the new style of the Unkei school of the early Kamakura period, the new style of Buddhist sculpture which was both realistic and dynamic. Kamakura period brought about a renanissance of Japanese sculpture: breaking ties with previous culture, returning to old traditions and absorbing new continental influences. Unkei, one of the greatest Japanese sculptors, represents this approach. I mention him in my post about Kamakura SUGIMOTO DERA – THE OLDEST TEMPLE Yushin = Rooster General, detail Scenes from the Tale of Genji, Attributed to Tosa Mitsunori (1583-1638), Screens, Color on paper, Edo Period, 17th Century. Genji monogatari, famous classic novel, was probably written about 1001-1015 or 1008-1021 A.D., long before Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio and Geoffrey Chaucer wrote their works. And … 🙂 it was written by a lady! Lady Murasaki Shikibu, who wrote it, was a lady-in-waiting to Empress Akiko and her hero is Prince Genji. It is the world´s first novel! Primary Textbook for the Noble´s Children by Prince Hachijo no miya Toshihito (1579-1629), Ink on decorated paper, Edo period, 17th century. Oh my, somebody was not only born with a silver (gold) spoon in his mouth, he even had a gold textbook, well, handscroll I had to admire how beautifully the folding screens are presented in spacious rooms of the museum Cherry Trees and Kerria Plants, Attributed to Tawaraya Sotatsu (cca 1570-1640), Color on paper, Edo period, 17th Century. Tawaraya Sotatsu was active in Kyoto in the early 17th Century. He is known for outstanding sense of design in his work. And rightly so. I was stunned how modern these screens looked. Painted 400 years ago… the artist definitely was ahead of his time Detail – Kerria plants – with that plasticity and with that piled gold they remembered me to Klimt´s Kiss; however, that was painted much later Cherry Trees and Kerria Plants, Attributed to Tawaraya Sotatsu (cca 1570-1640), Color on paper, Edo period, 17th Century. Tawaraya Sotatsu is considered to be one of the most Japanese of Japanese painters. In his most representative works he completely got rid of outer influences. We have to remember that Chinese painting had big influence on Japanese painting. But not on Tawaraya Sotatsu. His paintings are purely JapaneseDetail – Cherry Trees Flying Birds and Running Beasts by Kano Tan´yu (1602-1674), Color on silk, Edo period, dated 1666
Large dish, cherry blossom and eagle design in overglaze enamel, Imari ware, Edo period, 18th Century. Imari was the seaport from which porcelain made in Arita was shipped and its name became attached to these products. It is famous for its rich blues, red and gold enamelsMitate (Allusion) to the Seven Gods of Good Fortune in Their Treasure Ship by Isoda Koryúsai (1735-1790), Edo Period, 18th Century. Isoda Koryúsai served originally as samurai and later he became a designer of prints and a painter. With the amount of his works totalling 2500 he was possibly the most productive artist of the 18th Century Beauties under Cherry Blossom by Nagasawa Rosetsu (1754-1799), Color on silk, Edo Period, 18th Century. Poetry itself! Butterflies flutter, attracted by the scent of the elegant ladies… 🙂 Sea turtle skull. Hokkaido, 19th Century. The Ainu are expert fishermen and fishing is their principal occupation. Because of this the Ainu worshipped sea turtle skulls and prayed to them for good luck in fishing. The Ainu religion is a simple nature worship. They are regarded as the aborigines of Japan. They say that their ancestors came from a land of ice and snow and they migrated to Hokkaido and other islands further north. They are considered to be the hairiest race in the world. The Ainus in their own language means “man”
