Today I went to a 特別展 (special exhibit) at the 江戸東京博物館 (Edo-Tokyo Museum) titled: 「写楽幻の肉筆画」 (“SHARAKU and Other Hidden Japanese Masterworks from the Land of Narsicaa”).

This is a collection of Japanese 浮世絵 (woodblock prints) and paintings that were collected by Greek art collectors (mostly the Greek Ambassador to Japan) about 100 years ago.
It seems that records were not kept in Japan about the most of the pieces and even some of the artists. So, when Japanese art scholars learned of these pieces in an art museum in Greece they were very excited and arranged for an exhibit of the pieces back in their “home” (Japan).
This 特別展 (special exhibit) ends next Sunday (2009 Sept 6).




Woodblock prints like this were sometimes used to to decorate 扇子 (Japanese fans)
The 江戸東京博物館 (Edo-Tokyo Museum) is next to the 国技館 (Tokyo Sumo Arena).
Here’s a sign advertising an upcoming Sumo tournament:

Tags: Edo Tokyo, edo-tokyo museum, Greece, Greek, Hokusai, Japan, Japanese, Japanese art, kokugikan, ryogoku, Sharaku, SHARAKU and Other Hidden Japanese Masterworks from the Land of Narsicaa, sumo, Sumo Arena, Sumo wrestling, ukiyo-e, ukiyoe, woodblock print, woodblock prints, 写楽, 写楽幻の肉筆画, 国技館, 江戸東京, 江戸東京博物館, 浮世絵, 両国
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