Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
The Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art was opened in 1933 as the Kyoto Enthronement Memorial Museum of Art to commemorate the enthronement of Emperor Showa. After World War II, it was renamed Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art and has long been known as the oldest existing public art museum in Japan.
In 2017, major renovation and expansion work began under the direction of architects Aoki Jun and Nishizawa Tezzo, who added contemporary elements while retaining the design of the original building. In the spring of 2020, the museum reopened under the name Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (Kyoto City Museum of Art). Through exhibitions held in the Higashiyama Cube, a new wing showcasing various forms of contemporary art, and in the retro-modern main building, the museum presents a diverse range of art genres, including post-modern Kyoto art, contemporary art, and design. The museum also offers a variety of public spaces, such as the KYOCERA Square, which serves as a place for relaxation and events, the Central Hall, and the Higashiyama Cube Terrace rooftop, welcoming everyone to a more open art museum experience.
Main works
Uemura Shoen, The Flowers of Life, 1899
The artist skillfully captured the emotions of both a bride, who is seemingly shy with her head down and experiencing a mix of anxiety and joy, and a resolute mother guiding her daughter. This piece illustrates customs of the late Edo period (1603–1868) such as the shaved eyebrows and iridescent, dark lipstick on the lower lips, and customs of the Meiji period (1868–1912) such as the black long-sleeved formal kimono, which were often worn as the wedding garments.
Uemura Shoen, The Flowers of Life, 1899
Takeuchi Seiho, Posing for the First Time, 1913
A woman standing in front of a sliding paper door hides her flushed expression by holding her hand in front of her face and averting her eyes. Her untied kimono sash lies at her feet, and she holds on tightly to the kimono that she had taken off, using it to cover her body. The blue, ash, and ocher patterns appear to be swirling, which implies the psychological state of the embarrassed woman.
Takeuchi Seiho, Posing for the First Time, 1913
- Tomioka Tessai, Confrontation between Fishermen and Wood Cutters from a Chinese Poem, 1900
- Asai Chu, Willow Trees in Grez-sur Loing, France, 1901
- Konoshima Okoku, Winter Moon, 1912
- Murakami Kagaku, Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite light, 1916
- Yasui Sotaro, View of Awatagichi, Kyoto, 1905
- Kikuchi Keigetsu, The Isle of Paipateroma, a Utopia of Okinawan Legend, 1928
- Nakamura Daizaburo, Piano, 1926
- Kiyomizu Rokube V (Rokuwa), Ceremonial Vase, or Taireiji for Emperor Showa with Peach and Bird Design, 1926
