Cooperative Program for the Conservation of Japanese Artworks in Overseas Collections

Examples of antique Japanese art in overseas collections have long played the role of "Japanese cultural ambassador" to other countries and cultures. However, quite a few of these works are in bad repair, due to climatic conditions in their overseas homes that differ from those of Japan or damage that has occurred while on public display.

In 1991, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs began The Cooperative Program for the Conservation of Japanese Art Objects Overseas in order to bring such art works in need back to Japan for conservation treatment. The Program began with paintings as its focus, and in 1997, this was expanded to include decorative art works, such as lacquer ware. In 2001, the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, became the principle Japanese organization handling the actual conservation work involved.

While this Program has always involved bringing Japanese art works back to Japan for conservation, in 2006, a lacquer ware conservation studio was established in the Museum of East Asian Art in Koln, Germany, and similarly in 2008, a painting conservation studio was established in the German Museum of Technology in Berlin. Japanese conservation specialists have been dispatched to these two studios to carry out conservation work onsite.

This display features three paintings and two lacquer works whose conservation work has been completed under the Fiscal 2008 installment of this Program. These works were brought back to Japan for treatment in Japanese conservation studios. It is our hope that viewers of this display will gain an understanding of one aspect of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo's efforts in the field of international cooperation.