Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum Opened

On April 6, the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum (Director: TAKAHASHI Akiya) opened in Tokyo’s Marunouchi district, which was faithfully restored to its Meiji-era red-brick architecture. Originally designed by British architect Josiah Condor, it was demolished in 1968 (Shōwa 43) due to deterioration. It now comprises twenty exhibition rooms with a total floor area of 6,000 square meters. Housing a collection of approximately 250 works, including lithographs and posters by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the museum plans host three to four special exhibitions annually, focusing primarily on nineteenth-century modern art. The inaugural exhibition titled, ‘Manet et le Paris moderne’ (until July 25), a joint project with the Musée d’Orsay, displayed Manet’s major works, linking the full scope of his artistry with the transformation of Paris as a city during that time. The second opening commemorative exhibition, titled ‘From Dream to Reality: The Iwasaki, Mitsubishi Collection’ (August 24 – November 3), introduced the Iwasaki family’s deep engagement with culture and arts through masterpieces from the Seikado Bunko Art Museum and Toyo Bunko both of which the family founded, alongside works in the collection of Mitsubishi group companies and affiliated individuals. (Japanese)