Rebecca in Japan: Tokyo National Museum (Part Four)

Tokyo National Museum, Japan, is unlike any museum I have ever visited. It is enormous, organised and has lots of space. It actually succeeds in organising millennia of artefacts and sculptures into a semblance of order. One gallery begins by explaining:

“Japan has three main traditions of sculpture, Buddhist deities, Shinto deities and portraits of people”

There is room to appreciate each of the amazing exhibits with the reverence they deserve.

My favourite standout sculptures were these; a painted wood sculpture of ‘The Wisdom King Fudo,’ from the 11th century, with firey frieze, and a stunning bronze Buddha. They were both on a superhuman scale and displayed with restraint and perfect lighting.

In addition, I saw breath-taking screens, painted with feather brushes, with composition so balanced and harmonious it was awe-inspiring.

And fabulous Kimono.

And furthermore, I admired tea houses on the grounds and finally understood how these houses are large immersive experiences complete with texture, light, considered space, implements of ritual and practised restraint. This museum influenced the Oceania series of Vermeer Wall panels.

Copyedited and Search Engine Optimised by Lilia Bird on 02/06/2021.

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