“Splendor of French Paintings” exhibition opens to public in Osaka

The Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts will be hosting “Through the Eyes of René Huyghe: The Splendor of French Paintings—Formation and Transformation of the ‘Grande Manière,’” an exhibition organized by the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. The Osaka venue runs from May 26 and is scheduled to close on August 16. Among its backers are the nationally circulated Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper and its affiliated national Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation network.

Divided into three segments, “The Splendor of French Paintings” exhibition consists of some 80 oil paintings and drawings, works capturing three of the most iconic periods in Western art, beginning with the rise of classicism in the 17th century to the Rococo in the 18th and neo-classicism in the 19th up until the eve of the Impressionism.

Highlighted works from delayed “Flowers” exhibition

The showing of the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum exhibition “Flowers, Flowers and More Flowers: Exhibition of Flowers in Art from Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection” was originally slated to premiere on May 2 but regrettably has been postponed due to the pandemic. The exhibition introduces the finest representations of Nature’s floral majesty, including paintings, crafted objects and photographs, in our collection. The following are but a few of such examples:

• “Anemone,” a watercolor and gouache work by the multitalented French artist Raoul Dufy (1877-1953)
• “Cherry Blossoms in the Shin-Yoshiwara Courtesan’s District,” a color woodblock print by Utagawa Toyokuni (1769-1825)
• “White Tubular Cup with Design of Flowers” and “White Dish with Design of Flowers,” two 17th-century ceramic pieces created in Iznik, Turkey
• “Yugashima, Izu,” a color woodblock print by Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)

Video on Uemura Shoen and her artistic heirs produced

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum has uploaded a new video on its “tfamfilm” YouTube channel, produced as a tribute to “The Exhibition of Three Generations—Uemura Shoen, Shoko and Atsushi,” which regrettably had to be cancelled after only two days of showing from February 29 in the wake of the pandemic and subsequent self-enforced closure. We hope you will enjoy the video, which runs for some 14 minutes, over the lockdown, by clicking on this link: https://youtube.be/sKqlCr4-vQM.

Uemura Shoen (1875-1949) gained popularity for her Japanese-style paintings of so-called “beautiful women,” or bijin-ga, going on to become the first female recipient of the Order of Culture award and official artist of the Imperial Household. Shoko was her son and Atsushi, her grandson, both of whom were to emerge as prominent artists in their own right. While portraying the artistic legacy inherited by her progeny, the Japanese-language video follows the talent and success of Shoen and imparts the incisive lessons of life that she won:

Notice of re-extension of temporary closing of the museum

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum has been closed from March 2 until March 31 to prevent the further spread of the new coronavirus. However, we have decided to re-extend the period of its temporary closing until further notice.

Further information on reopening will be announced later on its website, official Twitter and Facebook. 

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. 

Museum shares education award with local elementary school

An art appreciation application developed by the Hachioji Municipal Toyo Elementary School with the support of Tokyo Fuji Art Museum has won The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper’s annual educational award. The application draws on such high-tech tools as AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) to encourage both children and adults on ways they can enjoy art and culture in a game environment that includes entertaining quizzes and imitating poses of sculptures on display.

We took part in the development and organization as part of our community outreach initiative to promote ways people of all ages can appreciate art. The Tokyo Shimbun award honors educators who create novel and enjoyable programs as learning tools for students.

PHOTO CAPTION: Students and adults take part in an art appreciation program co-developed by the Hachioji Municipal Toyo Elementary School and TFAM

Notice of re-extension of temporary closing (until March 31, 2020)

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum was to be closed from March 2 to March 23 to prevent the further spreading of the new coronavirus. However, in compliance with the Japanese government’s policy by the task force on the new coronavirus which is announced on March 19, we have decided to extend further the period of the museum’s temporary closing until Tuesday, March 31.

Reopening plans on and after Wednesday, April 1 will be announced later on its website, official Twitter and Facebook.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Notice of extended temporary closing (until March 23, 2020)

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum was initially to be closed from Monday, March 2 to Monday, March 16 to prevent the further spreading of the new coronavirus. However, considering the domestic and international circumstances, we have decided to extend the period of the museum’s temporary closing until Monday, March 23.

Reopening plans on and after Tuesday, March 24 will be announced later on its website, official Twitter and Facebook.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Notice of temporary closing of the museum

In compliance with the request of Japan's government agencies, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum will be temporarily closed from Monday, March 2 to Monday, March 16 to prevent the further spreading of the novel coronavirus.

The Museum is currently scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, March 17, but further information will be announced later on its website, official Twitter and Facebook.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

“Masterpieces of European Paintings” exhibition opens in Ibaraki

The opening ceremony of the exhibition, “Masterpieces of European Paintings from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection,” was held on February 19 at The Museum of Modern Art, Ibaraki, where it will be shown until April 12. Those attending the ceremony was Ibaraki Prefectural Governor Kazuhiko Oigawa and TFAM Director Akira Gokita.

Grand opening of “Splendor of French Paintings” exhibit in Fukuoka

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum exhibition “Through the Eyes of René Huyghe: The Splendor of French Paintings—Formation and Transformation of the "Grande Manière” opened in grand fashion at the Kyushu National Museum in Dazaifu, Fukuoka prefecture. The opening ceremony, which took place on February 3, drew some 1,400 people.

“The Splendor of French Paintings” was organized by TFAM in homage to the renowned French art historian René Huyghe, who was pivotal in holding the museum’s premiere exhibition on Western paintings for its grand public opening in 1983. The Kyushu venue was sponsored by the Kyushu National Museum, Kyushu Prefectural Government, Nishinippon Shimbun newspaper, Mainichi Newspapers Co., Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting TV network and TFAM.

Kyushu National Museum Director Hiroyuki Shimatani delivered the opening speech and the organizers participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony.

PHOTO CAPTION: The exhibition’s tape cutting ceremony was held in Fukuoka on Feb. 3