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Music Festival at the Museum

  • Image of "Male Haniwa Playing a Koto, Kofun period, 6th century (Private collection)"

    Male Haniwa Playing a Koto, Kofun period, 6th century (Private collection)

    Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room T2
    August 3, 2010 (Tue) - September 5, 2010 (Sun)

    How do you feel when you play music, hear music, or see a musical performance? Perhaps excited or enthused, maybe relaxed, or possibly filled with a sense of dignity and pride.

    Just as there are many different types of music, so there are many different types of musical instruments: simple instruments, complex instruments, instruments made for playing solo, and instruments made for playing in a group. The sounds of musical instruments have a mysterious resonance which is different from that of the human voice, and they evoke a variety of different emotions. For this reason, music and musical instruments have played an important part in human life throughout the ages.
    This Family Gallery exhibition showcases a selection of artworks depicting music and musical instruments in use in Japan since ancient times. These include instruments which are rarely seen or heard of nowadays, as well as instruments depicted with dolls and in haniwa terracotta tomb ornaments. Images of musical instruments can also be found on objects such as plates and bronze mirrors. Just like us, it seems that people of old also enjoyed themselves when making or listening to music.
    In your imagination, this usually quiet exhibition room can become a musical festival - we hope you feel the joy and energy of music while exploring these works as a family.
 Major works in this exhibition

* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
Harp (Reproduction), Meiji period, 19th century, Original: Nara period, 8th century
Bell (For use in a Buddhist temple), Kamakura period, dated 1306
Illustrated Scroll with Images of Gagaku Musicians and Instruments, Edo period, 18th century
Female Haniwa with Bells, Kofun period, 6th century (Important Cultural Property)
Related events (In Japanese)
Gallery Talk "Musical Instruments of Ancient Times"
Room T2, Honkan
August 3, 2010, 14:00
Speaker: Ito Shinji, Curator of Japanese Metalwork (In Japanese)
Gallery Talk "Family Gallery: Music Festival at the Museum"
Room 20, Honkan
August 20, 2010, 18:30
Speaker: Suzuki Midori, Curator of Education (In Japanese)
 Highlight of the Exhibition
Percussion Instruments (Beaten or Struck)
Wind Instruments
Instruments Played In Concert
Haniwa
Raigo-zu(Reproduction)
Raigo-zu(Reproduction)
Left: Male Haniwa with Drum, Kofun period, 6th century
Center: Dancing Female Haniwa with Handheld Percussion Instrument, Kofun period, 6th century
Right: Haniwa Figure with Drum, Kofun period, 6th century
Raigo-zu Painting Depicting Amitabha Buddha and Attendants Playing Musical Instruments (Reproduction, detail ) , 1896, Original: Heian period, 12th century
Raigo-zu Painting Depicting Amitabha Buddha and Attendants Playing Musical Instruments (Reproduction, detail ) , 1896, Original: Heian period, 12th century
String Instruments
Percussion Instruments (Shaken or Rung)
Harp (Reproduction)
Male Haniwa Playing a Koto
Bell (For use in a Buddhist temple)
Mirror with Bells
Harp (Reproduction ) , Meiji period, 19th century, Original: Nara period, 8th century
Male Haniwa Playing a Koto, Kofun period, 6th century (Private collection)
Bell (For use in a Buddhist temple ) , Kamakura period, dated 1306
Mirror with Bells, Kofun period, 5th - 6th century