100th Anniversary of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum - Edo in Focus: Japanese Treasures from the British Museum

Treasured masterpieces carefully selected from the Japanese art collection of the British Museum—one of the world's leading museums—are now on display!

Founded in 1753, the British Museum stands as one of the premier cultural institutions in the world. Its Japanese art collection is highly acclaimed as one of the most comprehensive outside of Japan, boasting exceptional quality and volume. The formation of this collection has been driven by individuals fascinated by the culture of a distant land across the sea, ever since Japonisme swept through the West in the late 19th century. The efforts of numerous collectors and curators associated with the British Museum—including the surgeon William Anderson (1842–1900)—and the connections forged between them have transcended borders and generations, continuing down to the present day.

This exhibition showcases a curated selection from the museum's extensive collection of 40,000 Japanese objects. It primarily features Edo-period paintings, including folding screens (byobu), hanging scrolls, and handscrolls, alongside prints by eight of the most iconic ukiyo-e artists, such as Utamaro, Sharaku, Hokusai, and Hiroshige. Furthermore, by shedding light on the backgrounds of these acquisitions and recent research findings, the exhibition traces the pivotal role the museum has played at the forefront of collecting, researching, and preserving Japanese art. While reflecting on the history of international cultural exchange, this event offers an opportunity to open a new dialogue between these enduring masterpieces and our modern world.