| ■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 |
|
Top page of The Collection of HAYASHI Tadamasa related letters and reference materials on the website of the National Museum of Western Art
Letter of Edmond de Goncourt to HAYASHI Tadamasa, dated August 2, 1895, in The Collection of HAYASHI Tadamasa related letters and reference materials. Goncourt (1822-1902) was a French art critic. He asked for HAYASHI Tadamasa's help in writing his now famous biography, Hokusai (published in 1896).
HAYASHI Tadamasa (1853-1906) was an art dealer in Paris at the end of the 19th century, having dealt in Japanese paintings, ukiyo-e prints, and crafts, and is known for having led the Japonism trend. The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) has a collection of letters HAYASHI received from art critics, collectors, and art dealers between 1884, when he opened his store in Paris, and 1905, when he returned to Japan, where died the following year. In 2001, TOBUNKEN published Correspondance adressée à HAYASHI Tadamasa (in French; Kokushokankokai publisher), which is a reprinting of these letters.
This collection of letters was deposited at the National Museum of Western Art in 2016, and in March 2023, The Collection of Hayashi Tadamasa related letters and reference materials was made public on the museum’s website.
The Collection of Hayashi Tadamasa related letters and reference materials | The National Museum of Western Art (nmwa.go.jp)
This website was established as part of a National Center for Art Research project, and allows users to search for images and reprints of letters by month and year sent, sender, and list of letters. We hope that many people will use this site to contribute to the research on the history of modern French art and the history of art exchange between Japan and France.
The Seminar
On April 28, 2023, EMURA Tomoko gave a presentation titled Study of Shuten-dōji Handscrolls: Interim Investigation Report. This research has been in progress since 2022, conducted under a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), and focuses on SUMIYOSHI Hiroyuki’s Shuten-dōji Handscrolls (six volumes in total, owned by Grassi Museum of Ethnology in Leipzig, hereinafter referred to as “the Leipzig scrolls”). This presentation was made in the form of an interim report on the investigation. EMURA introduced the works that she and her colleagues investigated in 2022, and considered the characteristics and genealogy of each scroll. Furthermore, thanks to the kind invitation of Dr. MIYAZAKI Momo (The Museum Yamato Bunkakan), EMURA was able to join her in the conduction of a survey on sketches of the Shuten-dōji Handscrolls (six volumes, Museum for History and Literature of Osaka Aoyama University). In addition, based on an inscription on the underside of the lid of the box that contained the scroll sketches, it became clear that the calligraphers of the Leipzig scrolls were NARUSHIMA Chuhachirō (Ryūshū) and NARUSHIMA Senzō (Kōzan), father and son, retainers of the shogunate. In addition, Dr. KOBAYASHI Kenji (National Institute of Japanese Literature), a research co-investigator of the project, gave a presentation titled Survey report on the Ibuki-dōji picture scrolls (private collection). This work included modification of Nara Ehon books into picture scrolls, and has many points in common with the contents of the first three volumes of the Leipzig scrolls. Mr. NAMIKI Seishi, who is the Program-Specific Professor of Kyoto Institute of Technology and a research co-investigator, participated as a commentator. In addition, researchers from inside and outside the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties participated online. This year, we will proceed with the survey with consideration given to the opinions received during the research discussion.
Introduction, in the conference room
Explanation about the investigational photographs of cultural properties
The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) introduced guidance for the TOBUNKEN Library to 4 graduate students of Aoyama Gakuin University (led by Prof. TSUDA Tetsuei) on April 12th. At the beginning of this guidance session, KIKKAWA Hideki explained how to use the library and how the collection was developed in the conference room on the second floor of TOBUNKEN. We then moved to the library and its stack rooms, where our staff introduced various materials, including the Auction Catalogue Digital Archive, investigational photographs of cultural properties, and auction catalogues. The participants handled the digital archives, books, and photos, listened to the explanations, and actively asked questions from the viewpoint of how they could use them for their own research.
The Archive Section of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems has a mission to collect, organize, and conserve materials concerning cultural property studies and prepare an easily accessible and effectively usable environment for experts and students working in areas related to cultural properties. As a part of this mission, we continue to actively hold guidance sessions. If you would like to participate in a session, please submit a request with reference to “TOBUNKEN Library Guidance for undergraduate/graduate students and museum staff” (Japanese only).
