The Takano Collection : Oil paintings by Asai Chu

The Takano Collection of paintings by Asai Chu, a Western-style painter from the Meiji period, includes eleven oil paintings, fifty-six watercolors and sketches, as well as six hanging scrolls. Many of them were painted during Asai's stay in Europe while in his mid-forties and display his mature skill. Mr. Takano Tokiji had aspired to be a painter at young age; even after entering the world of business, he made continuous efforts to collect the works of Asai whom he had long admired. From his late 20s, the collection took almost half a century to accumulate; these works demonstrate Mr. Takano's dedication to collecting high-quality oil paintings. In accordance with his will, the family of Mr. Takano donated the seventy-three works to Tokyo National Museum in 1985.