Our Thursday series features must-read books from each branch of the art bookshop NADiff. This week's pick is "Van Gogh's Chair." This week's recommendation is from NADiff Aichi, our Aichi/Nagoya branch (1-13-2 Higashisakura, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Aichi Arts Center B2F). ■ "Van Gogh's Chair: A Chair Beloved by Living National Treasure Tatsuaki Kuroda. Exploring Its Appeal, History, and Making" by Masaru Kutsuwa
This book is about the chair that was first introduced to Japan by leaders of the folk art movement that began in the 1920s and eventually came to be known as "Van Gogh's Chair." From various angles, including the relationship between the chair and the craftsman Tatsuaki Kuroda, who encountered and was captivated by it, on-site reporting in Spain, and interviews with people who were captivated by Van Gogh's chair, the book unravels the origins of the Spanish-made chair depicted in Van Gogh's paintings. Although a considerable number of these chairs were imported and sold in department stores across Japan, only a few originals remain in Japan, scattered throughout folk art museums across the country. Made with readily available materials and a few tools, this chair features only the bare essentials of everyday use. However, in today's world, where machine-made lumber is commonplace in both Spain and Japan, no manufacturer distributes a product crafted entirely by hand. This prompted the launch of the Van Gogh Chair Reproduction Project, a group of volunteers working to recreate the chair, including measuring it at the Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum. A workshop using raw wood, "Making Van Gogh's Chair," was also held, and the actual chair's construction instructions are included in this book. Currently, Japan's first two-person exhibition, "Van Gogh and Gauguin," is touring the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art. In conjunction with this, Nadiff Aichi is accepting orders for a reproduction of "Van Gogh's Chair" until March 20th, with the cooperation of Kato Shinsuke, who also appears in the book as a production instructor. (Made to order product/Adult chair 35,000 yen, Children's chair 15,000 yen)

[Book information]
"Van Gogh's Chair - The chair loved by Living National Treasure Kuroda Tatsuaki. Exploring its charm, history, and how it is made"
Author: Masaru Kutsuwa
Publisher: Seibundo Shinkosha
Language: Japanese
Softcover / 160 pages / 247 x 185mm
Release date: June 2016
Price: 2,300 yen
[Exhibition information]
"Van Gogh and Gauguin" Exhibition
Venue: Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art
Address: 1-13-2 Higashisakura, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Dates: January 3rd - March 20th, 2017
Admission: Adults 1,500 yen, High school and university students 1,200 yen, Free for junior high school students and younger