The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, and the Nagoya Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, are hosting the exhibition "Museum of Fine Arts, Boston x Tokyo University of the Arts: Double Impact: Beauty of Meiji Japan." The Tokyo exhibition runs from April 4 to May 17, and the Nagoya exhibition runs from June 6 to August 30. This exhibition reaffirms the influence of Japanese and Western art on Japan's history following the country's opening to the world in the 19th century. Approximately 150 paintings, crafts, and photographs from the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Tokyo University of the Arts will be on display. The exhibition is divided into six chapters, including "Wonderland Japan," each with its own theme. The prologue, "The Black Ships Have Arrived!", showcases works depicting the turbulent era and the people who lived there, including ukiyo-e prints depicting the foreign settlement in Yokohama shortly after the port opened. Other works, such as photographs of the Namamugi Incident, allow visitors to relive Japan from a foreign perspective. Other exhibits include "Civilization, Enlightenment," which focuses on Japan's blend of Western and Eastern scenes, such as Western clothing, steam locomotives, and iron bridges depicted in ukiyo-e prints. "Learning Western Art" showcases artists who adopted Western techniques, while "The Creation of Japanese Art" showcases works that reexamined traditional art in reaction to this trend. One such exhibit, "Snowy Landscape" by Hashimoto Gaho, incorporates Western idioms into traditional landscape painting, making its first public appearance. These trends led Japan toward imperialism, leading to the final chapter, "As a Modern Nation." This period saw the emergence of numerous historical paintings and sculptures depicting Japanese mythology and war, symbolizing the rise of nationalism. Meanwhile, within the art world, a return to tradition and a growing Western orientation clashed. Among these works, many of the influences of both are evident.


【Event Information】
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston x Tokyo University of the Arts Double Impact: Beauty of Meiji Japan
Tokyo Exhibition
Venue: University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts
Address: 12-8 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Dates: April 4th to May 17th
Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: 1,500 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for high school and university students
Closed: Mondays (open April 6th and May 4th)

Nagoya Exhibition
Venue: Nagoya Museum of Fine Arts
Address: Kanayama Minami Building, 1-1-1 Kanayama-cho, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Dates: June 6th to August 30th Hours: 10:00 to 19:00 (until 17:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and public holidays; admission until 30 minutes before closing) Admission: 1,300 yen for adults, 900 yen for high school and university students Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday)