The "Van Gogh and Gauguin" exhibition opened at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum on October 8th. This exhibition, the first of its kind in Asia, traces the evolution of Van Gogh and Gauguin's artistic styles from their early years to their final years, focusing on their interactions and life together in Arles. Chapter 1, "Pioneers of Modern Painting," and Chapter 2, "New Paintings, New Inspirations, and Encounters," feature works by artists who influenced the pair, as well as stories of fellow artists who inspired them. However, from Chapter 3 onward, the exhibition focuses entirely on the pair's work after their time together. This exhibition offers a glimpse into the profound influence they had on each other during the two months between their arrival in Arles on October 23rd and Gauguin's departure on December 25th. While the wall colors in the exhibition rooms change with each period, the vibrant yellow walls of the room displaying works from their time in the Yellow House in Arles are a striking contrast. In addition, near the works, quotations from letters written by Van Gogh to his brother Theo, who worked as an art dealer, and to painters Pissarro and Bernard, express the feelings of the two artists at the time, allowing visitors to understand their thoughts about painting and their impressions of each other.

Some of the paints Van Gogh used were not very durable, and recent research has revealed that some of them discolor or fade over time or with exposure to light. For this reason, the Van Gogh Museum limits the lighting on Van Gogh's paintings from the second half of 1885 onwards to 75 lux. This is less than half the 150 to 180 lux recommended by the International Association of Museums for oil paintings. For this reason, the Van Gogh Museum has set low lighting levels for this exhibition, including works from collections other than the Van Gogh Museum.

The exhibition runs until December 18. After the exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the exhibition will travel to the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art from January 3, 2017. :
【Exhibition Information】
"Van Gogh and Gauguin"
■Tokyo Venue
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Special Exhibition Room
Address: 8-36 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Dates: October 8th - December 18th, 2016
Hours: 9:30am - 5:30pm
Fridays, and November 2nd, 3rd, and 5th until 8pm *Last admission 30 minutes before closing
Admission: Adults 1,600 yen, University/Vocational College Students 1,300 yen, High School Students 800 yen, 65 and Over 1,000 yen
Closed: Mondays, October 11th *However, the exhibition will be open on October 10th
■Aichi Venue
Venue: Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art
Address: 1-13-2 Higashisakura, Higashi-ku, Nagoya
Period: January 3rd to March 20th, 2017 Hours: 10:00am - 6:00pm (until 8:00pm on Fridays) *Last admission 30 minutes before closing Closed: Every Monday (except January 9th and March 20th), January 10th