High-resolution facsimiles of national treasures to be exhibited in Okayama

High-resolution facsimiles of some of the most well-known masterpieces of Japanese paintings will go on view in a special exhibition entitled “Must-See National Treasures and Masterpieces: A Miraculous Collection Realized by High-resolution Facsimiles” at the Okayama City Museum starting on Sept. 13, 2024. Among the 15 reproductions to be featured in the exhibition are those of Tawaraya Sotatsu’s “The Wind and Thunder Gods” (a designated national treasure of Japan) and Ito Jakuchu’s “Birds and Animals in the Flower Garden.”

Special Exhibition
Must-See National Treasures and Masterpieces:
A Miraculous Collection Realized by High-resolution Facsimiles

Sep 13 (Fri) – Oct 20 (Sun), 2024

Okayama City Museum
(Okayama)

*See outline below for details

The high-resolution facsimiles to go on display in Okayama were made by The Tsuzuri Project — a joint undertaking of Canon (a Japanese maker of optical and imaging products) and the Kyoto Culture Association (a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Japan’s artistic treasures by employing digital technology as well as traditional craftsmanship) — for owners and keepers of Japan’s artistic treasures interested in making use of reproductions in place of fragile centuries-old originals, while the originals are safely kept in store. The exhibition will give us an idea of how the facsimiles are made and how useful they have become.

Other reproductions to go on display include that of Ogata Korin’s “Cranes,” which was donated to the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum to enable museumgoers in Japan to view the well-made facsimile, while the original is housed at the Freer Gallery of Art in faraway Washington DC. High-resolution facsimiles of designated national treasures such as Kano Eitoku’s “Chinese Lions” (original housed at The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan) and Hasegawa Tohaku’s “Pine Trees” (original housed at Tokyo National Museum) will also be put on display.

The exhibition runs through Oct. 20, 2024.