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Japanese Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

  • Image of "Fugen enmei, the Bodhisattva of Universal Virtue who Prolongs Life, Heian period, mid-12th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston"

    Fugen enmei, the Bodhisattva of Universal Virtue who Prolongs Life, Heian period, mid-12th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

    Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Special Exhibition Galleries
    March 20, 2012 (Tue) - June 10, 2012 (Sun)

    Known as a Mecca for Asian art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has been collecting Japanese art since the days of Ernest Fenollosa and Okakura Tenshin, and is now said to be home to over 100,000 works. In terms of both quality and quantity, this collection is one of the best in the world and contains many superlative artworks indispensable for an understanding of Japanese art. This exhibition provides an opportunity to view masterpieces from this collection, with a focus on paintings, including several from the Bigelow Collection.

Which item in the special exhibition, "Japanese Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston", do you want to see? Poll results

 

General Information

Period Tuesday, March 20 - Sunday, June 10, 2012
Venue Heiseikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)
Hours 9:30 - 17:00
Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays until 18:00
Fridays until 20:00
(Last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Closed Mondays(Except for Monday, April 30)
Admission Adults: 1,500 (1,300/1,200) yen
University students: 1,200 (1,000/900) yen
High school students: 900 (700/600) yen
Junior high school students and under: Free
* Prices shown in ( ) indicate advance / group (more than 20 persons) discount tickets.
* Persons with disabilities are admitted free with one accompanying person each.
* Advance tickets will be sale at the Museum ticket office (during museum hours, 30 minutes before closing hour) and e-Ticket Pia (P-code:764-858), Lawson Ticket (L-code:34556) and other major ticketing agencies from Tuesday, November 15, 2011 to Monday, March 19, 2012.
* Advance pair tickets (two admissions, 2000yen) are sold at the Museum ticket office (during museum hours, 30 minutes before closing hour), e-Ticket Pia (P-code:764-859), Lawson Ticket (L-code:34556) and other major ticketing agencies from Tuesday, November 15 to Tuseday, February 14, 2012.
* In connection with the concurrent exhibition of three scrolls from The Illustrated Scrolls of the Events of the Heiji Era, Tokyo National Museum is taking part in a reciprocal discount scheme for exhibitions featuring these scrolls. During this exhibition period, any visitor to the Tokyo National Museum who goes to the special exhibitions ticket counter at the Main gate and presents an admission ticket stub from the Seikado Bunko Art Museum in Tokyo will be entitled to a 100 yen discount off the admission fee for this special exhibition (for admission on that day). Similarly, in the period Saturday, April 14 to Sunday, May 20, 2012, when one of The Illustrated Scrolls of the Events of the Heiji Era will be on display at the Seikado Bunko Art Museum, any visitor to that museum who presents at the ticket counter an admission ticket stub from the Tokyo National Museum for either this special exhibition or the regular exhibitions will be entitled to the following admission prices: Adults 600 yen (200 yen discount); University students and High school students 400 yen (100 yen discount).
Access 10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station
15 minutes' walk from Keisei Ueno Station, Tokyo Metro Ueno Station and Tokyo Metro Nezu Station
Organizer Tokyo National Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, NHK, NHK Promotions Inc., The Asahi Shimbun
With the Support of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Embassy of the United States in Japan
With the Sponsorship of Sompo Japan Insurance Inc., Dai Nippon Printing Co.,Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
With the Assistance of Japan Airlines, Nippon Cargo Airlines Co., Ltd.
General Inquiries 03-5405-8686 (Hello Dial)
Exhibition Website http://www.boston-nippon.jp/ (In Japanese)
The website has closed with the end of the exhibition.

Next venue

The Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts: June 23, 2012 (Sat) - September 17, 2012 (Mon)/ September 29, 2012 (Sat) - December 9, 2012 (Sun)
Kyushu National Museum: January 1, 2013 (Tue) - March 17, 2013 (Sun)
Osaka city museum of fine arts: April 2, 2013 (Tue) - June 16, 2013 (Sun)

Related Events

Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  March 20, 2012 (Tue)   10:30 - 12:00   RESERVE_FINISH
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  April 21, 2012 (Sat)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  May 12, 2012 (Sat)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_FINISH

Highlight of the Exhibition

 

Part 1: Buddhist Deities and Shinto Manifestations

Shaka, the Historical Buddha, Preaching on Vulture Peak   Shaka, the Historical Buddha, Preaching on Vulture Peak
Nara period, 8th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Fugen enmei, the Bodhisattva of Universal Virtue who Prolongs Life
 
Fugen enmei, the Bodhisattva of Universal Virtue who Prolongs Life
Heian period, mid-12th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Bato Kannon, the Horse-headed Bodhisattva of Compassion
 
Bato Kannon, the Horse-headed Bodhisattva of Compassion
Heian period, mid-12th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Miroku, the Bodhisattva of the Future
 
Miroku, the Bodhisattva of the Future
By Kaikei, Kamakura period, dated 1189, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

 

 

Part 2: Two Great Handscrolls that Traversed the Ocean

Minister Kibi's Adventures in China (detail)
Minister Kibi's Adventures in China (detail), Heian period, late 12th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace, from the Illustrated Scrolls of the Events of the Heiji Era (detail)
Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace,
from the Illustrated Scrolls of the Events of the Heiji Era
(detail)
Kamakura period, late 13th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

* One of the highlights of the special exhibition is the scroll Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace. The other two remaining scrolls from The Illustrated Scrolls of the Events of the Heiji Era are also being exhibited concurrently: one is The Removal of the Imperial Family to Rokuhara, which will be on display in Room 2 of this museum’s Honkan (Tuesday, April 17 - Sunday, May 27, 2012); the other is the Scroll of Shinzei, which will be exhibited at the Seikado Bunko Art Museum in Tokyo (Saturday, April 14 - Sunday, May 20, 2012). This is an extremely rare chance to see and compare all three of these scrolls. Tokyo National Museum is taking part in a reciprocal discount scheme for exhibitions featuring these scrolls, a scheme which requires the presentation of admission ticket stubs to receive discounted admission fees. For details, please see the admission information above.

 

 

 

Part 3: Stillness and Radiance - Medieval Ink Painting and the Early Kano School

Landscape
Landscape, By Shokei,
Muromachi period,
late 15th - early 16th century

 

Jinshansi Temple
Jinshansi Temple
Attributed to Kano Motonobu,
Inscription by Keijo Shurin
Muromachi period, early 16th century,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Civets, Pine Tree, Birds, and Flowers
Civets, Pine Tree, Birds, and Flowers
Attributed to Kano Utanosuke,
Muromachi period,
mid-16th century,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

 

 

Part 4: The Blossoming of Early Modern Painting

Dragon and Tiger
Dragon and Tiger, By Hasegawa Tohaku, Edo period, dated 1606, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons
Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, By Kano Eino, Edo period, late 17th century,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Waves at Matsushima
Waves at Matsushima
By Ogata Korin, Edo period, early 18th century
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Cockatoo
Cockatoo
By Ito Jakuchu, Edo period, late 18th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

 

 

Part 5: Soga Shohaku - Eccentric Genius

Dragon and Clouds (detail)
Dragon and Clouds (detail)
By Soga Shohaku,
Edo period, dated 1763
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

The Three Laughers at Tiger Ravine
The Three Laughers at Tiger Ravine, By Soga Shohaku
Edo period, late 18th century, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

Transcendent Attacking a Whirlwind
Transcendent Attacking a Whirlwind,
By Soga Shohaku
Edo period, late 18th century,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

 

 

 

Part 6: Swords and Textiles - The Fascination of Japanese Craftsmanship

Tanto sword
Tanto sword
By Norinaga
Kamakura period, dated 1319,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
 
Sword mounting of Aikuchi type with decoration of autumn grasses
Sword mounting of Aikuchi type
with decoration of autumn grasses

By Shibahara Toshiyoshi
Edo - Meiji period, 19th century,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
 

 

Noh costume (karaori)
 
Kimono (kosode)<!--白綸子地松葉梅唐草竹輪模様-->
Noh costume (karaori)
Edo period, 18th century,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
 
  Kimono (kosode)
Edo period, 18th century,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
 
 

 

All photographs (c)2012 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.