Paintings by Ito Jakuchu and other masters on view at Idemitsu Museum of Arts

The Idemitsu Museum of Arts in Tokyo’s Marunouchi district is running an exhibition featuring masterpiece paintings and calligraphy from its own collection of Japanese works of art including the “Birds, Animals and Flowering Plants” folding screens by Edo-period painter Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800), and the “Birds and Flowers of Twelve Months” hanging scrolls by Rinpa-school artist Sakai Hoitsu (1761-1828), which formerly belonged to the famous Price Collection based in California.

One Thing Leads to Another
From the “Illustrated Stories on Courtier Ban Dainagon” to Itō Jakuchū

Sep 7 (Sat) – Oct 20 (Sun), 2024

Idemitsu Museum of Arts
(Marunouchi, Tokyo)

*See outline below for details

Also on display in “One Thing Leads to Another,” the exhibition set to run through Oct. 20, 2024, are the first volume of the “Illustrated Stories on Courtier Ban Dainagon” (12th century), a designated national treasure known as one of the four major illustrated handscrolls of Japan, and “Feasts Awaiting for the Sun Rise in Each of the Four Seasons” by Edo-period painter Hanabusa Itcho (1652-1724), a handscroll designated as an important cultural property of Japan.

A must-see among the works of calligraphy on display is the Kohitsu Tekagami (Album of Exemplary Calligraphy) “Minuyo-no-tomo” (8th-14th century), a designated national treasure attributed to Emperor Shomu (701-56) and others.

Other works on display:

Idemitsu Museum of Arts

The private museum was opened in 1966 to exhibit the artworks of the Idemitsu Collection (a collection mainly of classic Japanese paintings, works of calligraphy and East Asian ceramics) compiled by Sazo Idemitsu (1885-1981), the founder of Idemitsu Kosan Co.,Ltd. (a Japanese petroleum company). The collection currently holds about 15,000 items including two designated national treasures — both of which are on display in the exhibition — and 54 designated important cultural properties.