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"Visions of the Divine in the Sanctuary of Art
-Masterpieces of the Museum Island, Berlin"

  • Image of "Head of Queen Tiyi ©Staatliche Museen zu Berlin"

    Head of Queen Tiyi
    ©Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

    Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Special Exhibition Galleries
    April 5, 2005 (Tue) - June 12, 2005 (Sun)

    This exhibition will be the first in the world to showcase the reunified collection of Berlin's Museum Island- a World Heritage landmark that is presently undergoing extensive refurbishment and reconstruction. It will present approximately 160 select artworks to convey the essence of the cultural landmark's future image.

Object List

 General Information
Period Tuesday, April 5 - Sunday, June 12, 2005
Venue Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30 am. - 5:00 pm.
Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays until 6:00 pm, Fridays until 8:00 pm.
(last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Closed Mondays (Except for Monday, May 2, 2005 )
Admissions Adult 1,400 (1300/1200)yen, Student 1,000 (900/800)yen
* Prices shown in ( ) indicate advance-discount/group (more than 20 persons) tickets.
* Persons with a disability are allowed free entry with one companion. Valid identification requested upon entry.
* Advance tickets will be on sale at the Museum ticket office (during museum hours) and the counters of JR East, e-Ticket Pia and other major ticket offices from Saturday, February 26, 2005.
 
Access   10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station
15 minutes' walk from Keisei Ueno Station and Tokyo Metro Ueno Station and Nezu station.
Organizers Tokyo National Museum, The Asahi Shimbun, TBS
With the Academic Support of   Prussian Cultural Foundation, State Museums of Berlin
With the Assistance of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Japan, TBS Radio & Communications, Inc.
With the Special Sponsorship of   Shinko Securities Co., Ltd.
With the Sponsorship o Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., Sompo Japan Insurance Inc., Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim Co., Ltd.
With the Cooperation of East Japan Railway Company, The Swatch Group (Japan) KK Glashutte Original, Lufthansa German Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo AG
With the Planning Support of Toei Company Ltd.
General Inquiries 0570-06-1234 (Masterpieces of the Berlin Exhibition Dial)
Exhibition Homepage
(Japanese only)
asahi   http://www.asahi.com/berlin/
TBS   http://www.tbs.co.jp/event/berlin/
 Related lecture (in Japanese only)
  Commemorative lecture
1. European Paintings and Visions of the Divine: with a focus on the Romanticism
by Senzoku Nobuyuki (Professor, Seijo University)
Auditorium, Heiseikan
Saturday, April 16, 2005 at 13:30 - 15:00
2. Ancient Orient and Visions of the Divine
by Goto Takeshi (Special Research Chair, West Asian Archaeology)
Auditorium, Heiseikan
Sunday, May 8, 2005 at 13:30 - 15:00
  Other Exhibitions
   
Special Feature: National Treasure from Chuguji Seated Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
Room T5, Honkan, Tuesday, March 8 - Sunday, April 17, 2005
 Next Venue
Kobe City Museum  Saturday, July 9 - Monday, October 10, 2005
 About the Exhibition
Overview of the Berlin Museum Island Overview of the Berlin Museum Island
  Masterpieces of the world reunite at the World Heritage site, Museum Island-a museum complex, comprised of five museum buildings-Altes Museum, Neues Museum, Altenationalgalerie, Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum.

The Museum Island sits on a sandbank in the Spree River in the former East Berlin. The first public museum - now known as the Altes Museum, or old museum - was completed on the island in 1830 to exhibit collections of the Prussian royal family. The Altes Museum became too small to house the growing collection and a second museum, the Neues Museum (New Museum) was built behind the first followed by the Altenationalgalerie, Bode Museum and lastly the Pergamon Museum, which opened its doors in 1930. In a period of 100 years, spanning from the rule of the Prussian Monarchy to the German Empire, Berlin's "sanctuary of art" -Museum Island was completed. The Museum Island offered an overview of the artistic heritage of mankind not found even in Paris or London at the time, and Berlin thus won the attention of all of Europe. But as the Nazis gained power in the early 20th century, many of the modern European paintings branded "degenerate art" were confiscated and sold. When World War II broke out the artworks either were relocated to save them from the fires of war or became dispersed. After the war the collections were returned but stored separately in East and West due to the partition of Germany. In November 1989, the Berlin Wall that had divided East and West Germany was torn down. The Federal Republic of Germany was officially founded the following year with Berlin as its capital. After almost half a century of being divided, efforts began to comprehensively unite this great collection. In 1999 plans to refurbish the Museum Island got underway; the same year the landmark was listed as a World Heritage site. Presently the Museum Island project is in progress and is scheduled to be completed in 2015. The rebirth of the Museum Island will once again give the world a "sanctuary of art" -a venue to rival the British Museum and the Louvre.
Altes Museum(old museum) Neues Museum (New Museum)
Altes Museum
(Old museum)
Neues Museum
(New Museum)
Altenationalgalerie Bode Museum Pergamon Museum
Altenationalgalerie Bode Museum Pergamon Museum
©Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Masterpieces of the Museum Island, Berlin -Visions of the Divine in the Sanctuary of Art will present approximately 160 selected artworks to convey the essence of the cultural landmark's future image.

The exhibition will unfold by introducing the Altes Museum which exemplifies the spirit which inspired the creation of the Museum Island, followed by select artworks from the 10 collections- Pre-history, Ancient Egypt, Near Eastern Art, Greek and Roman, Islamic Art, Coin Collection, Byzantine Art, Medieval European Sculpture, Old Masters, and European Modern Art, scheduled to be united on the museum complex. The artworks, from ancient to modern era, are linked by the underlining theme "Visions of the Divine"-an artistic journey through mankind's imagery of the divine complimenting the overall message of celebrating the creation of this monumental "sanctuary of art".

Indeed, Masterpieces of the Museum Island, Berlin -Visions of the Divine in the Sanctuary of Art with its masterpieces, many of them shown for the first time outside Germany, will give us the rare opportunity to preview the rebirth of Berlin's Museum Island, here in Tokyo, on the special occasion of the "Germany in Japan 2005/2006" celebrations.

*All works are lent by State Museum of Berlin
In the Conservatory   Glazed Brick Wall: Striding Lion   The Solitary Tree
In the Conservatory
Edouard Manet
  Glazed Brick Wall: Striding Lion   The Solitary Tree
Casper David Friedrich
 
Virgin with Child (the 'Madonna Colonna')   Jacob's Fight with the Angel    Head of Queen Tiyi   Portrait of Cleopatra VII
Virgin with Child (the 'Madonna Colonna')
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio)
  Jacob's Fight with the Angel
Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn
  Head of Queen Tiyi   Portrait of Cleopatra VII
©Staatliche Museen zu Berlin