| ■Tokyo National Research
Institute for Cultural Properties |
■Center for Conservation
Science |
| ■Department of Art Research,
Archives and Information Systems |
■Japan Center for
International Cooperation in Conservation |
| ■Department of Intangible
Cultural Heritage |
|
The period between the 1920s and 1930s was pivotal for art exchanges between Japan and China. During this time, the study of Chinese art history began to take shape in Japan, led by figures such as OMURA Seigai (1868–1927) and NAKAMURA Fusetsu (1866–1943). Recently, historical documents such as the “China Travel Diary” by OMURA Seigai, who was a professor at the Tokyo Fine Arts School (Tokyo University of the Arts, today), have shed light on various aspects of the art exchanges between Japan and China. However, there is still a need for research that considers the social sentiments and artistic trends in both countries during that time.
At the 4th Seminar of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) held on July 23, 2024, Ms. GOTO Ryoko, a visiting researcher of TOBUNKEN, gave a presentation titled “Yu Shaosong (余紹宋) and the History of Calligraphy and Painting in Modern China.” Ms. GOTO has long been involved in the study of OMURA’s “China Travel Diary.” Through this research, she has highlighted the significance of this period in the development of Chinese art history. Her presentation focused on Yu Shaosong (1883–1949), who studied in Japan and authored the “Annotated Bibliography of Calligraphy and Painting” (published in 1931). Ms. GOTO explored Yu Shaosong’s connection with Japan and his role in shaping the history of calligraphy and painting in modern China.
Yu Shaosong was a scholar active during the 1920s and 1930s. His book, “Annotated Bibliography of Calligraphy and Painting,” is still highly regarded today as the first specialized reference book on Chinese calligraphy and painting literature. However, for many years, little was known about Yu Shaosong himself. Recently, with the publication of “The Diary of Yu Shaosong” and other materials, his role in China’s modernization has begun to attract scholarly attention. Yu Shaosong came to Japan in 1905, where he studied law at university. After returning to China, he became a government official, eventually serving as Vice Minister of Justice in 1921. Meanwhile, he studied painting under the grandson of Tang Yifen (1778–1853) and thoroughly researched art history and biographies of painters, gradually making his mark in the art world. In 1927, he retired from government service to pursue a career as a scholar, calligrapher, and artist.
Ms. GOTO traced Yu Shaosong’s life, his research on painting, and his practice of calligraphy and painting. She analyzed not only his “Annotated Bibliography of Calligraphy and Painting,” but also other works such as “Essentials of Painting Methods” (published in 1926) and the art journal “Epigraphy, Calligraphy, and Painting” (published from 1934 to 1937) to assess his place in the history of Chinese art studies. Ms. GOTO argued that Yu Shaosong, who gained Western insights through his time in Japan, critically examined traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting culture using a revivalist approach known as the Movement for Systematic Organization and Re-evaluation of National Cultural Heritage, which became one of the foundations of modern Chinese art research. External experts attended the seminar, engaging in meaningful exchanges of opinions on the development of Chinese and Oriental art history in modern China and Japan.
Lecture on scientific investigation
Lecture on air conditioning
Lecture on preservation of large volumes of documents
Tour of the laboratories
The “Training Course for Museum Curators in Charge of Conservation (Advanced Course) in 2024” was held from July 10 to 14, 2024. This training course, which has been held at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties since 1984, was reorganized into a “Basic Course” and an “Advanced Course” in 2021, with the aim of enabling curators in charge of conservation at museums to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills necessary for their work, from basic to advanced.
The “Basic Course,” conducted by the National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties, is designed to provide curators in charge of the conservation environment in of museums with a wide range of knowledge and skills.
The “Advanced Course” covers not only the conservation environment, but also general conservation of cultural properties, and is conducted by the Center for Conservation Science. In the 2024 Advanced Course, lectures and practical training based on research results in various research fields were conducted by the Center for Conservation Science, and lectures on the conservation and restoration of various cultural properties were provided by external lecturers. This year in particular, some of the lectures covered information on cultural property rescue in relation to the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The themes of the lectures and practical training were as follows:
・Theory of restoration of cultural properties
・Scientific investigation of cultural properties
・Air quality (about air quality / effects of air pollution on cultural properties / concepts of ventilation)
・Theory and practice of storage environment (air conditioning)
・Introduction and practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for cultural properties
・Types and characteristics of restoration materials
・Deterioration and conservation of outdoor materials
・Protection of heritage of modernization
・Conservation and restoration of various cultural properties
・Disaster prevention in museums
・Conservation and restoration of folk artifacts
・Preservation of large volumes of documents, and countermeasures against deterioration
・Conservation and restoration of works on paper
・Preservation and management of photographs
Participants commented that the training was a great support for their future activities, that they were able to deepen their knowledge of the issues they are facing, and that by coming into contact with a wide range of content, they were able to gain perspective for comprehensive consideration of environmental management and disaster prevention at their affiliated museums. This year, an opinion exchange meeting was held after the first day. Through self-introductions, participants shared their enthusiasm for the training and the issues facing their respective museums. Through this training, participants were able to interact with curators from facilities other than those in nearby prefectures, and it appeared to be a fulfilling training experience.
Stone piece joining experiment
Site visit survey of stone sculpture conservation and restoration
The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation is working with European experts to improve the current situation regarding the conservation and restoration of stone cultural properties in Japan.
From July 1 to 6, 2024, we visited Florence, Italy, and with the Opificio delle Pietre Dure and Italian national conservators of cultural properties, we conducted experimental research on reinforcing stone surfaces and joining stone pieces using restoration materials that are not available in Japan.
We also visited the conservation and restoration site of the stone sculptures installed in the Boboli Gardens, landscaped by the Medici family in the 16th century, to observe and deepen our knowledge on how to deal with various types of damage, such as cracks, delamination, and filling in missing areas. The methods used to control biodeterioration, which tends to occur due to the outdoor environment, are particularly interesting, and the way of thinking is also linked to conservation management. This was a great learning experience, as the methods are expected to be effective in Japan as well.
We have set a goal to continue our research to improve the current situation regarding the conservation and restoration of domestic stone cultural heritage, by continuing experimental studies and case studies, as well as deepening our links with experts in the field.
The Palatine Chapel of the Norman Palace
Stucco Decoration by Giacomo Serpotta (The Oratorio del Santa Cita)
Since 2021, The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation has been involved in a research survey on stucco decoration and clay statues being conducted as part of the research project “Technology for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage” program. The original research plan was to begin in a Mediterranean coastal area where stucco as a building material was beginning to be used as a material for decoration and for the production of clay statues. Although the spread of coronavirus infection had forced changes to the research plan, including a switch to a domestic survey, the relaxation of waterfront measures has led to a return to the original plan and activities are now being resumed in Europe.
From July 5 to July 7, 2024, we visited Palermo, Italy, to discuss cooperation with the local Superintendent of Cultural Heritage regarding research on archaeological sites from the period during which the Greek colonial city was built. We also visited the Arab-Norman buildings, including Monreale Cathedral, which has been designated a World Heritage Site thanks to their efforts, and a church with stucco decorations by Giacomo Serpotta, a sculptor who was active mainly in the 16th and 17th centuries, and we briefly investigated the conservation and restoration efforts.
In the future, through research into stucco decoration techniques and materials for archaeological sites in Sicily, we will deepen our understanding of their structure and characteristics, and continue our research into their conservation and restoration methods and site management.
Comprehensive survey to create a list of heritage houses in Old Kirtipur
Located about 4 km southwest of the capital Kathmandu, Kirtipur is listed on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites as a medieval Newari settlement with well-preserved monuments within its core area. However, due to the rapid urbanization and the demolishing and reconstruction of historic houses after the Gorkha earthquake in 2015, the historic townscape of Kirtipur has been drastically changing. A major challenge is that, while public monuments such as Royal Palaces, Temples, and Shrines are protected under the laws in Nepal, there is no effective regulatory framework for protecting historic houses.
To tackle this issue, a joint research project between Kirtipur Municipality and Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) on the preservation and utilization of historic houses in Kirtipur was launched in October 2023.
During the dispatch of two staff members of TOBUNKEN from July 16 to July 23, 2024, an additional architectural survey was conducted on a house that had been selected as a pilot case study. In collaboration with engineers of the municipality and other Nepalese experts, a detailed measurement survey, 3D digital documentation, and survey on the traces indicating the building’s transitional history were carried out. In addition, with the cooperation of Dr. Lata Shakya, Project Researcher of Ritsumeikan University, interview surveys were carried out with house owners and a local historian, and a comprehensive survey to create a list of the privately owned historic houses in Kirtipur was also conducted under the direction of Dr. Bijaya Shrestha, an expert on the conservation of historic settlements.
These surveys gradually unveiled history of the house; the target house is assumed to have been used as an administrative office of the ancient Kirtipur Palace and retains significant importance with a well-preserved original façade among the existing historic houses that constitute the townscape of Kirtipur.
The house faces an urgent need of repairs due to termite damage and rainwater leakage. For historic houses facing difficulties regarding various practical factors such as lack of repair budget and ownership issues, clarifying the historic value and promoting wider recognition as a cultural heritage site could be an important step towards the preservation and the conservation.
Through trials and dialogues with relevant people, including house owners, administrative officers, and various experts, we would like to explore ways of safeguarding private historic houses that not only carry on the cultural richness of the town, but also present a link towards its sustainable development.
Work on the pyramid sequence worksheet
Making a puzzle of an ancient Egyptian boat
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties has organized the Cultural Heritage Kids Workshop starting from 2023 to promote interest in cultural heritage to the next generation, especially for elementary school children. The second workshop was held on July 27, 2024, and 25 children and their families in total over 70 people attended.
The main theme, “Cultural heritage in Ancient Egypt,” was taken over from the last workshop, but for the second workshop we added new programs: a worksheet for creating a sequence of pyramids, an introduction to excavations in Egypt, and a three-dimensional puzzle of an ancient Egyptian boat. Each program had objectives of enabling the children to understand archaeological chronology, to learn the steps involved from the discovery of an archaeological site to the research and conservation work, and to study the meaning of some ancient Egyptian script and the ingenuity of boat builders. Children could learn about the fundamentals of academic studies on cultural heritage through this workshop.
Holding such workshops not only provides children with the opportunity to increase and renew their interest in mysterious aspects of cultural and historic heritage, but it is also beneficial to the generation of their parents, because we can introduce them to the research and the significance and background of cultural heritage studies. We will continue to hold workshops based on the results of our research and studies that are unique to the research institution.
Examples of the Striped House Museum of Art / Striped House Gallery Papers: Documents about the Apartheid Non! International Art Festival (1990), University of the End of the Century, Tokyo (1993-2000) (Call Number [In Japanese] : ス162, ス261 )
The Striped House Building
As part of the research project “Research and Compilation of Materials on Modern and Contemporary Art,” we are pleased to announce that a catalog of “Striped House Museum of Art / Striped House Gallery Papers” is now available on our website.
The Striped House Museum of Art was established by the photographer Mr. TSUKAHARA Takuya (born 1937) in May 1981 in Roppongi 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, as a private art museum that held many retrospectives of deceased artists, mainly of contemporary art, as well as solo exhibitions of young artists. The museum also had a reputation for discovering artists, and was known not only for its art exhibitions, but also for regularly organizing mini live performances, one-man shows, Rakugo events, and recitation readings. Although the museum closed in 2000, a gallery has been operating on the third floor of the Striped House Building since December 2001. The Striped House Gallery Papers were donated by the gallery through an arrangement by SASAKI Shigeo (1931-2024) around 2010, and were organized in about 300 envelopes containing materials related to individual events and artists. These envelopes also included documentary photographs, press releases, and other materials, which may provide important facts that were not available in the media such as newspapers and magazines of the time.
The research project “Research and Compilation of Materials on Modern and Contemporary Art” is intended to enable the conduction of research on modern and contemporary Japanese art works and materials, to promote research exchange based on this research, and to establish an efficient collection and publication framework for materials related to contemporary art. We hope that you will make use of these documents, which are now available in the library, as evidence for solving problems encountered in research on cultural properties, including contemporary art, and as an opportunity to conduct new research in various fields.
• Library Visitor’s Guide
https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/english/library/library_e.html
Archives (documents) information can be found at the bottom of this page. The Striped House Gallery Papers are accessible in our library.
• Striped House Museum of Art / Striped House Gallery Papers
https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/pdf/archives_StripedHouseMuseumofArt.pdf
Meeting at the Nevşehir Conservation and Restoration Regional Laboratory
Courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor of Nevşehir Province
The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, in cooperation with local specialized institutions and universities in Turkey, are conducting a joint research project on the conservation and restoration of mural paintings on the interior walls of St. Michael’s Church (Keşlik Monastery) in Cappadocia, Turkey. Last year, a research plan was prepared based on field surveys, and after deliberations held by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey and an expert committee, the project was officially approved for implementation.
Survey for the development of a conservation and restoration research plan at St. Michael’s Church (Keşlik Monastery) :: 東文研アーカイブデータベース (tobunken.go.jp)
In response, we visited the site from June 25 to 29, 2024, to discuss environmental arrangements that will be important for conducting research activities safely in the future. The discussions were conducted with the cooperation of Mr. Hatice Temur YILDIZ, Director of the Nevşehir Conservation and Restoration Regional Laboratory, and Mr. Levent Ak, a member of the Urgup City Council and Director of the Cappadocia Tourism and Regional Infrastructure Services Association. The discussions were very fruitful, as we had the opportunity to exchange views with the Deputy Governor of Nevşehir and the Mayor of Ürgüp. As a result, we were able to establish a cooperative framework with public organizations in the Cappadocia region, as they agreed to cooperate with us on the construction of scaffolding and installation of facilities for water and electricity in the church.
We will continue our research activities to meet the expectations of the local people and to contribute widely to the conservation and restoration of cultural properties in the Republic of Turkey.
Students and professors, observing a rubbing
On May 11, 2024, a group from the Asian History Department of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Waseda University, visited the TOBUNKEN Library of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. The students, led by Mr. YANAGISAWA Akira (Professor, specialist in the history of the Qing Dynasty), Mr. KAKINUMA Yōhei (Professor, specialist in the history of ancient China), Mr. UEDA Kihei-narichika (Lecturer, specialist in the history of ancient Korea) took a tour, guided by Mr. TASHIRO Yūichirō, of the Institute’s collection of books and rubbings, which have been collected since 1930.
One of the missions of the Archives Section of the TOBUNKEN Library* is to provide information on cultural properties to experts and students, as well as to create an environment for the effective use of such materials. We hope that the valuable materials of our institute, which are of high value even by international standards, will be widely utilized not only in art history research, but also in Asian history research and historical research in general, and contribute to the development of research on cultural properties that are the common heritage of all humankind.
*The Archives Section provides usage guidance for undergraduate students, graduate students, museum staff, etc. If you are interested, please apply after reading the guidance
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/guidance.html (Japanese only)).
The presentation
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C., USA, is the nation’s record keeper, preserving and managing historically valuable government records. Established in 1934, NARA holds the “Charters of Freedom” – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights – as well as diplomatic documents, war-related documents, immigration records, veteran’s service records, and others that form the nation’s “memory.” The holdings are vast and diverse, including 13.5 billion pieces of paper, more than 137 million meters (450 million feet) of film, 41 million photographs, 40 million aerial images, 10 million maps, charts, and architectural drawings, and 837 terabytes of electronic records (as of October 2023).
NARA has been accepting transfers of audiovisual records (such as films and videos) along with related materials documenting their production process over many years. At the 2nd seminar held on May 14, 2024, Ms. YAMANAGA Naomi, an Associate Fellow of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, presented a report titled “Audiovisual Records and Related Materials Created by Government Agencies.” The report detailed the findings of an on-site survey of these related materials conducted in August 2022.
According to information from the Textual Records Series Register (1990) provided by the archivists, their new building (Archives II) handling special media holds approximately 300 series of related materials, and digitization has been progressing in recent years. This presentation described the wide-ranging contents of related materials, including production files, scripts, correspondence, index cards, and interview transcripts, accompanied by photographs. In the subsequent question-and-answer session, various opinions were exchanged regarding the necessity of preserving and managing records that are created in the course of production activities and ensure their context. Based on this discussion, the presenter will continue to explore ways to contribute to the preservation of such related materials.
SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi teaching how to make silkscreens. (2011)
A portion of the materials related to SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi. (2024)
We have made a list of the ‘Materials Related to SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi’ held in the library collection of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) available on our website, and the original materials are now available for viewing in the TOBUNKEN Library*. The materials related to the Sōzō Biiku Kyōkai (SŌBI: ‘Society for Creative Art Education’), which were kept by art educator SHIMAZAKI (1923-2015), were donated to TOBUNKEN in March 2023 at the bereavement of his family.
SŌBI is a civilian art education organization founded in 1952. SHIMAZAKI was the head office secretary of SŌBI from 1957 to 1972. Even after retiring, he continued to monitor the activities of the association and worked hard to preserve it for future generations, preserving archives from the early days of SŌBI to the 2000s. As a reference to this, SHIMAZAKI’s personal document (SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi Papers A-531), a booklet containing the words of several early SŌBI members, including Mr. ASABE Hiroshi, states: ‘Fewer and fewer people know about the founding of SŌBI, and if we do not record it now, we will not be able to pass it on to future generations’ and the booklet was handed out to those who were interested in it. More than anyone else, SHIMAZAKI hoped that the activities of SŌBI will be passed on to future generations.
After receiving the donation, preparations were made to open the materials to the public with the advice of Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki, Head, Modern/Contemporary Art Section of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems and Ms. TAMURA Ayako (former Research Assistant staff of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems), with Ms. KAMADA Karin and Ms. KAMIO Hinaki (Assistants of the same department), Ms. TAGUCHI Kotono (former Assistant of the same department) working to organize the materials. The materials are categorized into A, ‘Sōzō Biiku Kyōkai-related materials,’ B, ‘Letters,’ and C, ‘SHIMAZAKI’s schedule books and Diaries,’ and are stored in a total of 19 archival document cases.
We would like to thank his bereaved family and all those involved for their efforts in this way. It is our sincere hope that the materials preserved with SHIMAZAKI’s passion will be seen by as many people as possible, and that research on art education and other subjects will flourish both in Japan and abroad.
*Application for advance reservation is required.
◆TOBUNKEN Library Visitor’s Guide
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/english/library/library_e.html)
◆‘SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi Papers’
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/pdf/archives_Shimazaki_Kiyomi.pdf）
Reporting at the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Japan (Photo by SEKIHIRO Naoyo )
On May 19, 2024, the general meeting and public symposium of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Japan was held at the National Museum of Ethnology. At this general meeting, Mr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, gave a report titled “Safeguarding Cultural Heritage Amid Armed Conflict in Sudan” (co-authored with Mr. SHIMIZU Nobuhiro and Ms. SEKIHIRO Naoyo). The authors had been collecting information on the current state of cultural heritage in Sudan under armed conflict as part of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, “Heritage studies for realization of cultural diversity and peacebuilding in post-conflict countries,” and presented the results of the research.
In Sudan, the armed conflict between the Sudanese National Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that began in April 2023 continues to this day, and the country’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage has been severely affected. We have been in contact with Sudanese cultural heritage experts both in and outside Sudan, as well as international experts in the UK and elsewhere, to collect information on the current situation. At this meeting, we reported on the results of our efforts and called for the need for international support for Sudan through the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is one of the organizations that make up the Blue Shield International. The Blue Shield International was established in 1996 as an international framework that works to protect cultural heritage that is facing threats to survival due to armed conflicts and disasters, based on the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (commonly known as the Hague Convention), adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1954. Japan ratified the Hague Convention in 2007, becoming the 117th state party, but Japan is not yet a member of the Blue Shield International.
Japan has been fortunate in not being involved in any major armed conflicts since the end of the war in 1945. However, much cultural heritage has been damaged by armed conflicts around the world since then. Japan has been involved in international cooperation for post-conflict cultural heritage protection in Cambodia and Afghanistan, and has received high praise from the international community for this work.
However, looking at the current situation, armed conflicts continue not only in Sudan but also in various other parts of the world, such as Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, and much cultural heritage is at risk. What can we do to safeguard this cultural heritage? We hoped that our report at this meeting of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Japan would serve as an opportunity to discuss this issue.
A scene from the online workshop (May 29, 2024)
An online workshop entitled “Reunion, Rehabilitation, and Revitalization: International Online Workshop for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage and Living Heritage in Sudan” was held on May 28 and 29, 2024. This workshop was part of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, “Heritage studies for realization of cultural diversity and peacebuilding in post-conflict countries,” a project led by Dr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN). The workshop was organized by the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, co-organized by the Safeguarding Sudan’s Living Heritage (SSLH) project of the UK, and supported by the Department of International Relations and Organizations, National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) in Sudan.
Sudan has been embroiled in armed conflict since April 2023, the National Museum and the National Ethnographic Museum in the capital Khartoum have both been closed, and experts involved in the protection of cultural heritage have been forced to either flee the country or evacuate to relatively safe areas within the country. However, despite these difficult circumstances, Sudanese experts have continued their activities to protect cultural heritage. For example, our counterpart, Dr. Amani Noureldime (former Director, National Ethnographic Museum and current Director, International Relations and Organizations, National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM), Sudan), has evacuated to a relatively safe area in Sudan and has been working with local residents to protect cultural heritage based at a museum in that area. In addition, the UK’s SSLH project is planning to start a project to safeguard traditional culture in cooperation with local Sudanese experts, also based at a museum in a relatively safe area of Sudan.
The purpose of this workshop was to connect experts engaged in various activities both inside and outside Sudan, share information, and hold discussions on ways to overcome this difficult situation. The agenda was as follows:
Day 1 (May 28)
Opening remarks (Mr. SAITO Takamasa, Director General, Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties)
Introduction (Dr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage)
Towards a National Strategy and Plan Aimed at Uniting Performers, Heritage Bearers, Activists, and Civil Society Institutions to Preserve, Rehabilitate, and Revitalize Sudan’s Intangible Cultural and Living Heritage (Dr. Ismail Ali El Fihail, Director, House of Heritage, Khartoum/ICH UNESCO Accredited Facilitator)
Current Trends of the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (Dr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage)
Cultural Heritage and Disaster Risk Management (Prof. MASUDA Kanefusa, Ritsumeikan University/ICOMOS-ICORP)
Safeguarding Sudan’s Living Heritage Project Inside and Outside Sudan (Dr. Helen Mallinson and Mr. Michael Mallinson, Mallinson Architects and Engineers/SSLH)
Traditional Buildings in Sudan as Living Heritage (Dr. SHIMIZU Nobuhiro, Hokkai Gakuen University, Dr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Ms. SEKIHIRO Naoyo, Kyoto City Archaeological Research Institute)
Day 2 (May 29)
Keynote Speech: Museum Policies and Objectives in Sudan under the Current Situation (Dr. Ghalia Garel Nabi, Director General, NCAM)
Impacts on Cultural Heritage in War Situation: Case study (Gaziera Museum) (Dr. Amani Noureldaim Mohamed, Director, Department of International Relations and Organizations, NCAM)
Community Engagement and Heritage Protection During the Wartime Case of Jebel El-Barkal World Heritage Site and Marawi Land Museum Evacuation Northern State, Sudan (Dr. Sami Elamin, Director, Northern State Antiquities Office, and Resident Manager, Jebel El-Barkal World Heritage Site)
Community Engagement and Heritage Protection in Shiekan Museum (Dr. Amani Yousif Bashir, Director, Shiekan Museum)
Discussion, facilitated by Prof. Intisar Soghayroun (Expert/Head of Research Unit, the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts, ALESCO) and Dr. Julie Anderson (British Museum)
Commentator: Dr. Abdelrahman Ali (UNESCO Expert/ former Director General, NCAM)
Concluding remarks by H.E. Ali Mohamed (Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan in Japan)
Some of the experts who participated via the internet from Sudan struggled with poor connectivity. Nevertheless, it was a great achievement that so many experts were able to gather together online, even in the difficult circumstances of armed conflict.
Sudan is still in the midst of armed conflict, and we are unable to travel there to carry out our activities. However, we will continue to consider the kinds of international cooperation we can provide to safeguard Sudan’s cultural heritage, even if we are outside of Sudan.
Conducting an on-site inspection.
The bell tower of Okariden Hall.
On May 15, 2024, we visited Nikko Toshogu Shrine to inspect the “humidity-controlled warm-air treatment” facilities for the bell tower of Okariden Hall. Traditional gas fumigation for insect extermination has become difficult to continue due to safety and environmental concerns. This new treatment is a method to exterminate insects that damage the wood of structures, such as pillars and beams, by heating the wood to high temperatures (around 60℃). By controlling the humidity during the treatment to maintain a constant moisture content in the wood, it is possible to raise the temperature inside the wood without significantly affecting its physical properties. The new method is therefore expected to be a means to replace gas fumigation.
To date, the research team, consisting of the Association for the Preservation of the Nikko World Heritage Site Shrines and Temples, Kyoto University, Total System Laboratory, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., KANSO Technos Co., Ltd., and the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), has conducted three verification treatments on actual buildings. In addition to evaluating the insecticidal effects and impact on the structures, considerations were also given to environmental impacts such as noise and energy consumption. As a result, the humidity-controlled warm-air treatment was established as a practicable new method for insect extermination in wooden structures.
Last year, for the first time on a designated cultural property, the treatment was carried out at the Gohotendo Hall of Rinnoji Temple. This time, it was conducted at the bell tower of Okariden Hall, marking the second case for a designated cultural property. Going forward, we aim to promote this method as the new standard for insect extermination in wooden structures.
Search using morphological features as key words
In April 2024, a new function, “Cultural Property Pest Search” (https://www.tobunken.go.jp/ccr/pest-search/top/index.html) was launched on the TOBUNKEN website. This function helps users to identify cultural property pests when they are found.
There are many different types of cultural property pests, and it has been difficult for people who are not insect specialists to identify them. However, these pests become apparent, and there was a need to develop a tool to assist with their identification on the spot. In response to this need, this search page has been created to enable anyone to easily identify the cultural property pests.
The “Cultural Property Pest Search” page is a web-based content search engine that can be browsed from a smartphone, so that cultural property pests can be examined immediately at the site where they are found. The search algorithm is based on morphological information such as the shape and color of the insect, which can be determined on the spot, so even if users are not familiar with insects, they can intuitively examine the pest. In addition to information on morphology and ecology, the pages returned for each pest contain many photographs from various angles for easy comparison with the insects found. The pages also contain useful information for research on cultural property pests, such as genetic information and related papers.
As of May 2024, the “Cultural Property Pest Search” content lists 30 of the 150 known major species of cultural property pests. We will continue to expand the database to include more species in the future.
Survey at Sakteng village
Devastating remains of a manor house (Phongmey Nagtshang)
Since 2012, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) has been continuously engaged in research on vernacular houses in Bhutan, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development (DCDD), Ministry of Home Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan. The DCDD promotes a policy of preserving and utilizing vernacular houses by integrating them into the legal protecting framework of cultural heritage, while TOBUNKEN supports the initiative from academic and technical aspects.
We conducted the first field survey for FY 2024 from May 11 to 23. For this purpose, three staff members of TOBUNKEN and two external experts from Japan were dispatched. Together with two DCDD officials, we surveyed mainly stone masonry houses in two eastern Dzongkhags (provinces): Trashigang and Trashiyangtse.
The current survey area included three villages that we had visited from April to May 2023 for the supplemental survey, in addition to three villages that were new for us.
In the Kheni village of Trashiyangtse Dzongkhag, where we visited first, we completed a detailed survey on all of five houses considered as very old in the village, including measurement taking and interviews with the residents of the houses. For three of the houses that had been surveyed last year, supplemental surveys were conducted. The other houses were also fully surveyed.
Next, at Merak and Gengo villages in Merak Gewog of Trashigang Dzongkhag, we conducted a supplemental survey on one house and new surveys on six other houses. All of these houses are single-story buildings with main entrances on the gable side. Many of them have a living room with partial wooden outer walls at the front side of the attic level. This building type is peculiar to these areas in which transhumant ethnic minorities live. In the survey on such regionally-unique-style houses, we identified 67 houses across Merak village, and revealed that around half of the houses, especially those in the center of the village, were in this style.
We then visited Sakteng Gewog of Trashigang Dzongkhag for the first time, where the same ethnic group lives. We confirmed that a similar style of houses to that of Merak existed there. However, as some of those houses were surrounded by stone fences with gates, the scenery inside the village was very different. We conducted detailed surveys of five houses in total in both adjacent Sakteng and Tengma villages. We managed to collect valuable examples, including small houses built totally of wood and water mills for producing flour. The living area of the same ethnic group expands to the neighboring Northeastern region of India. We are informed that houses of similar styles exist there, in which we are very much interested.
Additionally, we surveyed two old houses of feudal lords in Phongmey village in the same Dzongkhag. Both of them were no longer in use. One of them was severely damaged with largely deformed stone walls and in a risky condition. There is concern that such case can rapidly increase due to the depopulation in countryside. Even though it is difficult to take immediate conservation measures, it is at least required to grasp and document the locations and current situations of these old houses.
The surveys were conducted with the support of a JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) “Vernacular Stone Masonry Houses of Bhutan: A Study on the Architectural Characteristics and the Suitable Approach for Protection as Cultural Heritage” (Principal Researcher: TOMODA Masahiko).
Conference program
Scene from the venue, “Convent of Fuligno”
Perugino (real name: Pietro Vannucci) was one of the leading painters of the Italian Renaissance. He left behind numerous works of art, including a mural painting in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican, and was a master of the young Raffaello, who praised him as a “God-Like Painter.” In 2023, the 500th anniversary of Perugino’s death, numerous exhibitions and symposia were held in Italy and abroad.
Joining with this commemoration, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, in collaboration with Elio Conti Historical Studies Association, the National Research Council of Italy Institute of Heritage Science, the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the metropolitan city of Florence and the provinces of Pistoia and Prato, and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, organized the international conference, “Perugino and Florence,” held over two days, May 14 and 15, 2024, at the “Cenacolo di Fuligno” (‘Convent of Fuligno’) in Florence. The conference brought together experts from the fields of art history, conservation, and other fields, to reassess the value of this great painter through presentations on his work. We also gave a presentation on an interdisciplinary technical study of the two remaining mural paintings in Florence, and discussed future conservation, restoration, and maintenance methods.
In the future, in cooperation with local experts, ways of improving the conservation of Perugino’s painting of the Last Supper, which is now in a museum in the former Convent of Fuligno in Florence, will be carried out through scientific research and other means.
The Seminar
Witt Library, the Coutauld Institute
Ms. MAIZAWA Rei, Head, Archives Section of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), stayed as a visiting researcher at SISJAC, located in Norwich, East of England, from October 2023 to February this year, as detailed in the link below.
https://www.tobunken.go.jp/materials/ekatudo/2059896.html
During her stay, she conducted lectures and a gallery talk at the Sainsbury Centre of the University of East Anglia（UEA）and the University of London The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She also conducted research on the British Museum’s collection of Japanese art and visited museums, galleries, libraries, and other facilities with archival institutions in the UK.
At the 1st seminar of the Department of Art, Research, Archives and Information Systems, held at TOBUNKEN on April 30, 2024, Ms. MAIZAWA reported on the research and inspections she had conducted in the UK. She presented explanation regarding an image digitization project currently ongoing at the Witt Library of the Courtauld Institute of Art, and about an inspection she had conducted of a conservation workshop at the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, with photographs. YASHIRO Yukio (1890-1975) had visited the Witt Library as a reference for the creation of Bijutsu-Kenkyūjo (a predecessor of TOBUNKEN). The library holds about 2.2 million photographs, reproductions, and cuttings of paintings, drawings, and engravings. A team of 200 volunteers is working on digitization of the large amount of material, and stands as an example that provides clues for future management of TOBUNKEN, which also holds a wide range of materials. She also looked into how some museum programs are being managed in the UK, highlighting some of the projects for older people run by the National Liverpool Museums and the Dulwich Picture Gallery. She visited 28 of museums and galleries, 10 of which have libraries and archive facilities. Many important issues were presented that serve as reference for us, such as digitization and ensuring the accessibility of materials and the role of cultural institutions in an ageing society, which led to a lively exchange of views in a question-and-answer session after she presented her report.
Screenshot of the painted silk database user interface
Digital microscope photograph
Silk has been a traditional support material for Japanese and other Eastern paintings since the Tang Dynasty in China, which corresponded to the Heian period in Japan. Silk has been used mainly in clothing in East Asia from ancient times to the present. Although ancient silk clothing is rarely preserved, due to consumption, examples of painted silk have been handed down in better condition. Painted silk works can be compared in terms of their woven structure and fiber shape, as most of them were plain woven. The study of the woven structure and fiber form (composed of silk thread) of painted silk is an important research issue, not only for art historical research, but also for the history and transition of materials and techniques.
The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), established a “Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the Joint Research on the Composition of Silk Painting Supports and Other Textiles Used in Artworks” with the Tokyo National Museum in 2019. As a part of the research, photography and measurement of silk paintings is being conducted using a digital microscope (HiRox RH-2000), focusing on works in the Tokyo National Museum’s collection.
We are pleased to announce that a database of the results of this project is now available as the “Tokyo National Museum Digital Research Archives,” in cooperation with the Infomatics Division of the Tokyo National Museum, accessible through the website below.
https://webarchives.tnm.jp/infolib/meta_pub/G0000002221214GK
The database contains images of important works such as the National Treasure “The Bodhisattva Fugen,” “The Biography of the Traveling Preacher Ippen,” and “Red and White Cotton Rosemallow” by Li Di, as well as images of the woven structure and the measured data of the fiber shape. We plan to add more works to the database in the future. We will use this database to promote research on works and material techniques.
The presentation
YAMAGUCHI Hōshun (1893-1971) was a representative Nihonga (Japanese-style painting) painter during the Showa period (1926-1989) in Japan. He actively worked and exhibited his paintings at Teiten (exhibitions held by the Imperial Academy of Fine Art) before WWII and Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibitions) after WWII. He learned painting from MATSUOKA Eikyū at the Tokyo Fine Arts School (Tokyo University of the Arts, today), and worked as a member of Shinko Yamato-e-kai, an association of the painters who learned from MATSUOKA. His artworks, deeply colored landscape paintings based on traditional Yamato-e techniques, such as Nachi Mountain, One of the Three Main Shrines of Kumano, prized by the Imperial Fine Arts Academy in 1926 and now owned by the Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, attracted much attention. However, around 1930, his style began to shift to Kachōga, paintings of birds and flowers with light and refreshing colors. Mr. SHIOYA Jun, Special Research Chair of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, discussed this change of his style that took place in the early Showa period before WWII at a Seminar held on March 7, 2024, titled YAMAGUCHI Hōshun and Yamato-e – from the Viewpoint of Neoclassicism.
Through the words of YAMAGUCHI Hōshun, we can understand that he grasped Yamato-e painting as an expression based on very objective viewpoints. At the same time, he highly recognized artworks by painters of the so-called neoclassicism style (members of the Nihon Bijutsuin) such as YASUDA Yukihiko and KOBAYASHI Kokei. His early Kachōga paintings were done in similar styles as seen in their artworks. We believe that, at that time, YAMAGHCHI pursued reality based on his classic style skills and knowledge, while he also learned from Eastern-style paintings beyond Yamato-e as did YASUDA and KOBAYASHI.
Ms. RYU Risa, Vice President and Senior Curator of Hoshun Yamaguchi Memorial Hall joined this seminar as a commentator and talked about YAMAGUCHI’s activities. After her talk, a discussion among participants was conducted, including those who came from outside of TOBUNKEN. I was especially impressed with one point: YAMAGUCHI’s principle was to paint whatever he saw and felt as it is, and this did not change even after WWII. This principle was continued by his pupils and remains even now.
