| ■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 Recently, historical documents such as the “China Travel Diary” by OMURA Seigai, who was a professor at the Tokyo Fine Arts School (Tokyo University of the Arts, today), have shed light on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.
Main venue, Bharat Mandapam
The Japanese delegation observes deliberation on the Sado Island Gold Mines
The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee was held in New Delhi, India from July 21 to 31, 2024, in which we four members of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) participated as observers, three from the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation and one from the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems.
The Committee brings together representatives of the State Parties to the World Heritage Convention and advisory bodies to deliberate on new nominations, state of conservation etc., of World Heritage sites. Twenty-four new sites were added to the World Heritage List this time, bringing the total number to 1,223. Regarding the “Sado Island Gold Mines,” widely reported in Japan, ICOMOS had recommended reconsideration of the contents and boundaries of the property and requested additional information from the State Party to facilitate the boundary revision. Subsequently, the handling of correspondence by the Japanese government led this site to an inscription on the List, decided unanimously by the Committee. In the deliberations on the state of conservation, inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger was avoided the for all four properties previously recommended, including Stonehenge in the UK, due to a planning of highway construction at its boundary. On the other hand, the St. Hilarion Monastery in Palestine, currently at risk of destruction from war, was newly nominated and simultaneously inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
At side events held during the session, the latest trends related to World Heritage Sites were introduced by various State Parties and organizations. Outside of the plenary session, a series of forums was organized for site managers and young professionals, who held lively discussions on pressing issues such as sustainable heritage management.
Participating in a World Heritage Committee session on-site is a very rare opportunity to learn about the latest international trends, hardly obtainable online. TOBUNKEN will continue to disseminate information, including the content of this event, through such measures as hosting a World Heritage Seminar this November.
Presentation of the Declaration to the 46th World Heritage Committee (Photo by Archaeological Survey of India)
Site visit to the World Heritage site, Taj Mahal (Photo by Archaeological Survey of India)
From July 14 to 23, 2024, Mr. KANEKO Yutaro, Research Fellow of the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation (Secretariat of the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage), participated in the “World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2024,” held in New Delhi, India, as part of the 46th World Heritage Committee.
This forum is a key initiative of UNESCO’s World Heritage Education Program, aiming at promoting intercultural understanding and exchange through interactions among young people from around the world and experts in cultural and natural heritage, as well as exploring new roles for the youth in heritage conservation. For this year’s forum, 50 participants were selected (20 participants from India and 30 from other countries) from 31 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands out of more than 3,500 applicants. The participants discussed the issues and opportunities related to World Heritage sites from their respective national and professional perspectives. Under the main theme, “World Heritage in the 21st Century—Enhancing Capacities and Exploring Opportunities for Youth,” the program focused on four key topics: climate change, innovative technologies, communities, and sustainable tourism. The participants engaged in a rich program to learn about World Heritage from various perspectives, which included site visits to museums and World Heritage sites such as Taj Mahal, lectures by heritage experts, and discussions and presentations among the participants. At the end of the forum, a statement summarizing recommendations from young professionals regarding World Heritage was prepared and presented to the World Heritage Committee, based on the knowledge and experiences gained from the forum.
Mr. KANEKO was deeply inspired by the young professionals from African and Latin American countries who are playing leading roles at the stages of nomination, protection, and management of World Heritage sites, actively addressing various challenges faced by these sites. However, many participants from these countries pointed out that fragile protection systems due to a lack of funding and human resources are common, highlighting the need for Japan to extend further support in the field of international cooperation in cultural heritage. As one of the young professionals who will be responsible for future heritage protection, he will continue to raise awareness of these issues and strive to contribute to the protection of heritage both domestically and internationally.
UNESCO Website for the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum
https://whc.unesco.org/en/youth-forum/
