January 6, 2011
Masterpieces from the Ota Museum
Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2011 Saddened by the outflow of ukiyo-e masterpieces to the West, Toho Insurance head Seizo Ota founded the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in 1980. It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that, without his efforts, much of the country’s artistic patrimony would have been lost for good. Each New […]
By Metropolis
Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2011
Utagawa Kuniyoshi, One Scene about the Battle between Kōmei and Mōkaku from “Records of Three Kingdoms,” 1854
Saddened by the outflow of ukiyo-e masterpieces to the West, Toho Insurance head Seizo Ota founded the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in 1980. It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that, without his efforts, much of the country’s artistic patrimony would have been lost for good. Each New Year, the museum presents some of its most prized works. For the 2011 show, seldom-exhibited pieces by titans such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige are grouped under the themes “Drawings of Pleasure Quarters,” “Drawings of Performing Artists” and “Portraits.”
Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art
Until Jan 26, free (MS and under)/¥500 (HS, univ)/¥700 (adult). 1-10-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-5777-8600. Open Tue-Sun 10:30am-5:30pm, closed Mon. Nearest stn: Harajuku, Omotesando exit. www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp
