The Matsukata Collection: A One-Hundred-Year Odyssey

Kojiro Matsukata (1866, 1 December 1950-1950), who led the Kawasaki Shipyard (now Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.) in Kobe, is expanding its business on the background of ship demand from World War I. Buy and collect a large number of works of art in London or Paris, circa 1916-1927. Matsukata's collection at that time consisted of a diverse range of eras, regions and genres from Monet, Gogan, Gogh to Rodin's sculptures, modern British paintings, medieval board paintings, tapestry, and about 8000 ukiyo-e repurchased for Japan. For example, the scale was 10,000 points.

However, in 1927, the shipyard went into bankruptcy at the same time as the Showa Financial Crisis, and the collection follows its destiny. The works that had arrived in Japan were sold out, and some of the works that were left in Europe were burned down by a warehouse fire in London, and others were seized by the French government in Paris at the end of World War II. it was done. After the war, with the 375 points returned from France to Japan, when the National Museum of Western Art was born in 1959, the Matsukata Collection finally found a place of peace.

In this exhibition to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the exhibition, about 160 works including famous works such as Gogh ゴ Arr's Bedroom ’and Monet's 反映 Water reflection, willow reflection’ discovered in 2016 including dissapeared items at home and abroad Along with the materials, we will trace the 100-year voyage of the Matsukata Collection, which has continued to be haunted by the rough waves of the times.

Other lectures and slide talks are also planned. Please see each page for details.