MORI Ōgai and the Imperial Museum — The First Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems

The seminar

From “Zetsudai Shiho cho (The Album of Unparalleled Treasures)” (published in 1919)“Zetsudai Shiho cho (The Album of Unparalleled Treasures)” is a lavish collection of Heian-period Buddhist paintings published in conjunction with the “Ten Great Buddhist Paintings” exhibition held at the Imperial Household Museum in Tokyo; it features a preface by MORI Ōgai.

　MORI Ōgai (1862–1922) is widely known as a literary giant who produced masterpieces such as “The Dancing Girl,” “Sanshō Dayu,” and “Takasebune.” While he achieved great success as a novelist, he also rose to the highest ranks as an Army surgeon. However, it may be less well known that he served as Director-General of the Imperial Household Museum (now the National Museum) for the final four years of his life.

　At the Seminar held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems on April 24, Mr. TARASHIMA Satoshi—who had worked for many years at the Tokyo National Museum and is currently a visiting researcher at our institute—gave a presentation titled “The Management of the Imperial Household Museum and Director MORI Ōgai during the Taisho Period: Focusing on Exhibitions and ‘Internationalization.’” Mr. MORI assumed the position of Director-General of the Imperial Household Museum in December 1917. At that time, the museum was derided as an outdated “luxury storage shed,” and its management was criticized for “deep-rooted problems.” Expected to breathe new life into the institution, MORI attempted to reform exhibitions and internationalize the museum. While exploring exhibition methods that would visualize the customs of various eras, he devoted himself to organizing the “Ten Great Buddhist Paintings” exhibition, which brought together masterpieces of Heian-period Buddhist painting under one roof. He also accepted a donation of copperplate engravings by the British painter Frank Brangwin and hosted visits from Western art historians such as Oswald Schieren and Langdon Warner. In Mr. TARASHIMA’s presentation, MORI’s activities at the Imperial Household Museum were revealed through magazine articles and the diaries and memoirs of those involved, prompting a reevaluation of the conventional image of MORI Ōgai.

Publication of “Study of the Japan-made Lacquerwork Found in Thailand (3) – Japanese Lacquerwork and Investigation of Lacquering Materials –”

Cover of the publication

Figures in the publication (fan-shape cigar box with maki-e decoration, collection of the Bangkok National Museum)

　At the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), we have been conducting research on cultural properties located in Thailand in cooperation with the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture, Thailand since 1992. Since 2011, TOBUNKEN has been involved in research on the Japan-made lacquered door panels of Wat Rajapradit, a first-grade royal temple in Bangkok, providing technical support for a full-scale restoration project of the panels currently being organized by the Fine Arts Department.

　Apart from the lacquered door panels, in Thailand, Japan-made lacquerware can be found at libraries, museums, temples, palaces, and more. Historical exchanges in lacquerwork between Japan and Thailand were not limited to trade. At the beginning of the 20th century, several Japanese lacquer craftsmen were invited to Thailand to make or restore utensils, furniture, and other items for the royal family.

　In March 2026, we published a book titled “Publication of “Study of the Japan-made Lacquerwork Found in Thailand (3) – Japanese Lacquerwork and Investigation of Lacquering Materials –.” The book summarizes the activities from fiscal years 2021 and 2025, as well as the results of the investigations conducted jointly by TOBUNKEN and the Fine Arts Department. To deepen our understanding of the lacquered door panels of Wat Rajapradit, these investigations include studies of lacquering materials used in Japan and Thailand, and also of lacquerware in Northern Thailand that influenced some Japanese lacquerware. Other studies described focused on Japanese-made lacquerware stored at Wat Bovonniwet, the Bangkok National Museum, and the Central Storage of National Museums, and on a ceremonial fan for which the stem was decorated by Mr. Miki Sakae (1884-1966), a Japanese lacquer craftsman who had worked in Thailand. This book is available in public libraries in Japan and some overseas libraries that hold documentary materials related to Japanese art.

　As 2027 marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Thailand, we will continue our research into the exchange between the two countries.

Newly introduced/updated instruments at the Center for Conservation Science in FY2025

　In fiscal year 2025, the Center for Conservation Science acquired a new “ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectrophotometer” and a “large-scale vacuum freeze dryer,” and updated its “micro-infrared spectrophotometer” (Fig. 1). This section introduces these instruments.

UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer.
　When light is irradiated on a sample, the absorption profile (spectrum) of the light changes depending on the sample’s molecular structure. This instrument analyzes the structure and concentration of a substance based on these changes. In the cultural heritage field, it is particularly widely used for the quantification of color. It comes equipped with a large integrating sphere and a fiber-optic external integrating sphere, enabling the analysis of a wide variety of samples.

Micro-Infrared Spectrophotometer (Updated)
　The infrared spectrophotometer is the most frequently used analytical instrument at the Center for Conservation Science and Research, particularly for the structural analysis of organic materials. For example, when analyzing the type of adhesive used to bond paper, the type of fibers in textile products, or contaminants adhering to cultural properties, infrared spectroscopic analysis is often the first step. In addition to standard infrared spectroscopy, the instrument is capable of micro-infrared spectroscopy, enabling the analysis of extremely small artifacts measuring on the scale of a few micrometers (Fig. 2).

Large-Scale Vacuum Freeze Dryer
　Vacuum freeze-drying (freeze-drying) is a process by which artifacts are dried with minimal deformation by sublimating frozen water under a vacuum. It enables the efficient and safe drying of documentary materials that have become wet due to water damage or other causes. The large-scale vacuum freeze-dryer recently introduced to our laboratory can process a large volume of disaster-affected materials at once, and is expected to be used in the field of cultural property disaster prevention.
　
　We will continue to advance cultural property analysis using these devices.

Figure１　Photos of newly introduced and updated instruments

A.UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer

B.Micro-infrared spectrophotometer (updated)

C.Large-scale vacuum freeze dryer

Figure 2　 Fiber Analysis Using a Micro-Infrared Spectrophotometer

　Results of mapping a section of a multi-fiber interwoven fabric compliant with JIS L 0803. In this area, the warp consists of PET fibers and the weft of rayon, acrylic, and silk, yet the mapping is clear. This analysis was performed using reflectance analysis. While such analysis was difficult with the previous equipment before the upgrade, advances in the instrument have made non-contact, non-destructive analysis possible, which is extremely beneficial in the field of cultural heritage.

Research study on the conservation and restoration of trowel paintings on the earthen storehouse of the former Kina-Saffron-shu-Honpo (Part 3)

View of the trowel painting storehouse of the former Kina-Saffron-Shu-Honpo

Trowel paintings confirmed to be in good condition

　The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties is conducting ongoing research on the conservation and restoration of trowel paintings that decorate the earthen storehouses of the former Kina-Saffron-Shu-Honpo in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, as part of A Research Survey into Stucco Decorations and Clay Statues. By fiscal year 2024, studies had been carried out on consolidation treatments using inorganic restoration materials for the plaster layers that constitute the reliefs, as well as on retouching techniques, and conservation treatments were implemented based on the findings.

　Following these treatments, an on-site investigation was conducted from April 20 to 23, 2026, to confirm the post-treatment condition of the reliefs. These trowel paintings are exposed to particularly harsh environmental conditions, including the hot and humid summers characteristic of the Sea of Japan coast, as well as heavy snowfall and freezing conditions during the winter months. During this survey, detailed observations focused primarily on the treated areas. As a result, no major deterioration, new detachments, or losses were observed in the reliefs themselves, confirming that the areas consolidated with inorganic restoration materials have remained in stable condition.

　Until now, repairs to these trowel paintings had been repeatedly carried out in response to damage as it occurred. However, many of these interventions were intended as short-term repairs, and in particular, treatments using synthetic resin-based materials were found to harden and discolor over time, in some cases causing additional stress to the reliefs themselves. In response to these issues, the present study aimed to establish treatment methods based on established cultural heritage conservation, principles, considering both the distinctive environmental conditions of the region and the material characteristics of the reliefs. In particular, the introduction of highly durable and stable inorganic restoration materials represents the first full-scale application of such methods to the conservation of trowel paintings in Japan, and the present follow-up survey provided important findings demonstrating their effectiveness.

　The Institute plans to continue long-term monitoring the condition of the reliefs while further evaluating the research results. It is hoped that the outcomes of this study will contribute to the conservation and restoration of trowel painting cultural properties throughout Japan and serve as a new guiding approach for their preservation in the future.