Progress Report on the Cooperative Program for the Conservation of Japanese Art Objects Overseas
Although many artworks produced in Japan are housed in institutions overseas—particularly in Europe and North America—there are only a limited number of specialists abroad who are well-versed in their conservation and restoration. As a result, when such works are undergoing deterioration or have sustained damage, it is often difficult to carry out restoration at the appropriate time and using suitable methods. Consequently, these artworks may not only become unavailable for exhibition or educational use, but also risk further deterioration.
In response to this situation, the cooperative program offers support for the conservation and restoration of Japanese artworks housed in museums, art galleries, and libraries overseas, either by bringing the artworks to Japan for restoration or by providing expert conservation advice.
Between May 26 and 29, 2025, a detailed investigation of the current condition of the work The Moon and Autumn Plants, a two-panel folding screen by IKEDA Koson, was conducted at the Museum of Art and Design Hamburg (Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg). The museum had expressed concern regarding the condition of the work, which has not been exhibited in recent years.
The investigation revealed various forms of deterioration and damage, including flaking and loss of pigments, as well as weakening of the underlying support and lining paper. These findings confirmed that the artwork is in urgent need of conservation treatment. Additionally, it was found that the screen had undergone one or more previous disassembling restorations. During those treatments, the backing paper (karakami) and the wooden frame were reassembled in positions and orientations that differed from their original state.
Meanwhile, in the previous fiscal year, we conducted investigations and provided on-site conservation advice at the Baur Foundation, Museum of Far Eastern Art (Switzerland), the Museum Rietberg (Switzerland), and the National Museum in Poznań (Poland). Based on the findings of these investigations, preparations are currently underway to begin the restoration in Japan on the Emperor’s Visit, an eight-panel folding screen from the collection of the Museum Rietberg.