Additional exhibit of Van Gogh's elusive "Sunflowers"
Van Gogh "Sunflowers" 1888
98 X 69cm - destroyed by fire in Ashiya-shi, Hyogo in 1945
The Otsuka Museum of Art has added a full-size ceramic reproduction of the so-called "Ashiya Sunflowers," one of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," which was destroyed in fire during World War II and will never be seen again.
An unveiling ceremony was held on October 1, 2014, with the supervising professor, Nobuyuki Senashi (Professor Emeritus of Seijo University and member of the museum's painting academic committee), Satomi Fukushima, deputy director of the Mushanokoji Saneatsu Memorial Museum, and Mrs. Chieko Kamei, granddaughter of Mr. Koyata Yamamoto, an Osaka businessman who purchased the work at the request of the Shirakaba-ha group, and her husband in attendance.
An unveiling ceremony was held on October 1, 2014, with the supervising professor, Nobuyuki Senashi (Professor Emeritus of Seijo University and member of the museum's painting academic committee), Satomi Fukushima, deputy director of the Mushanokoji Saneatsu Memorial Museum, and Mrs. Chieko Kamei, granddaughter of Mr. Koyata Yamamoto, an Osaka businessman who purchased the work at the request of the Shirakaba-ha group, and her husband in attendance.
■From Otsuka Museum of Art director Ichiro Otsuka
We have recently decided to add a ceramic panel reproduction of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," commonly known as "Ashiya Sunflowers," which was first brought to Japan in 1920 by Mushanokoji Saneatsu and the Shirakaba School, and was destroyed in the Ashiya air raid 69 years ago. This is the first attempt by the Otsuka Museum of Art to use ceramic panels to restore a masterpiece destroyed in war damage, and the reproduction of this lost world-famous masterpiece was also the wish of my grandfather, Otsuka Masashi, who was the first director of the museum.
On the occasion of the unveiling ceremony, we would like to express our gratitude to the efforts of those who introduced the charm of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" to the Japanese people, and we hope that as many people as possible will be able to enjoy the reproduction of "Sunflowers."
■Saneatsu Mushanokouji Memorial deputy manager Fukushima Satomi
In 1917, Mushanokoji Saneatsu and other members of the Shirakaba Group began a movement to establish the Shirakaba Museum, hoping to bring to Japan works of Western modern art by artists such as Van Gogh and Cezanne, which were still rare at the time. Yamamoto Koyata, who supported the movement, purchased Van Gogh's "Sunflowers."
I pray for it being at the opportunity when Saneatsu Mushanokouji, white birch coteries, thought to hang in this work of sanhonkaerimiyata and an activity have for a long time many various places know it through this work.
■ Mr. Koyata Yamamoto, grandson of Mr. Tomonaga Kamei
This "Sunflower" was purchased by my grandfather together with Mushanokoji Saneatsu in order to realize the Shirakaba Museum of Art. My grandfather was an enthusiastic supporter of Saneatsu's work in order to make the museum a reality.
There is the human being producing a thing, but I feel that it must have it of a human being making an effort utterly to provide the thing which I made in the life, but think that the grandfather gave life to such a thing.
If a grandfather knows the effort of today's all of you, I think that I would thank you and am the gladdest of thought with Mr. Saneatsu remaining in the future.
■Supervision Nobuyuki Chiashi (Seijo University's emeritus professor/Otsuka Museum of Art picture arts and sciences committee member)
I think it is such a wonderful piece that it is fair to say that the sunflowers that were reduced to ashes in Ashiya were not actually lost but have been brought back to life here, and that if you want to see the original you should go to the museum.
Among the many "Sunflowers" by Van Gogh, the biggest difference with this work is the number of flowers, the composition, and also the color of the background. Unlike the other "Sunflowers", it is painted in royal blue. Also, the small number of flowers makes the flowers stand out more strikingly. The purple color of the table is not found in other "Sunflowers". Van Gogh also painted the gaps in the table with slightly different colors. It can be said that the ceramic panel has carefully reproduced even these details.
There are many masterpieces that have been lost, but I think it is very significant that they have been revived in Japan, where Van Gogh is so loved. The Otsuka Museum of Art will soon be celebrating its 20th anniversary in a few years, and I have a dream of eventually creating a sunflower corner somewhere, with a total of 7 oil paintings of sunflowers (excluding those from his time in Paris).
We have recently decided to add a ceramic panel reproduction of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," commonly known as "Ashiya Sunflowers," which was first brought to Japan in 1920 by Mushanokoji Saneatsu and the Shirakaba School, and was destroyed in the Ashiya air raid 69 years ago. This is the first attempt by the Otsuka Museum of Art to use ceramic panels to restore a masterpiece destroyed in war damage, and the reproduction of this lost world-famous masterpiece was also the wish of my grandfather, Otsuka Masashi, who was the first director of the museum.
On the occasion of the unveiling ceremony, we would like to express our gratitude to the efforts of those who introduced the charm of Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" to the Japanese people, and we hope that as many people as possible will be able to enjoy the reproduction of "Sunflowers."
■Saneatsu Mushanokouji Memorial deputy manager Fukushima Satomi
In 1917, Mushanokoji Saneatsu and other members of the Shirakaba Group began a movement to establish the Shirakaba Museum, hoping to bring to Japan works of Western modern art by artists such as Van Gogh and Cezanne, which were still rare at the time. Yamamoto Koyata, who supported the movement, purchased Van Gogh's "Sunflowers."
I pray for it being at the opportunity when Saneatsu Mushanokouji, white birch coteries, thought to hang in this work of sanhonkaerimiyata and an activity have for a long time many various places know it through this work.
■ Mr. Koyata Yamamoto, grandson of Mr. Tomonaga Kamei
This "Sunflower" was purchased by my grandfather together with Mushanokoji Saneatsu in order to realize the Shirakaba Museum of Art. My grandfather was an enthusiastic supporter of Saneatsu's work in order to make the museum a reality.
There is the human being producing a thing, but I feel that it must have it of a human being making an effort utterly to provide the thing which I made in the life, but think that the grandfather gave life to such a thing.
If a grandfather knows the effort of today's all of you, I think that I would thank you and am the gladdest of thought with Mr. Saneatsu remaining in the future.
■Supervision Nobuyuki Chiashi (Seijo University's emeritus professor/Otsuka Museum of Art picture arts and sciences committee member)
I think it is such a wonderful piece that it is fair to say that the sunflowers that were reduced to ashes in Ashiya were not actually lost but have been brought back to life here, and that if you want to see the original you should go to the museum.
Among the many "Sunflowers" by Van Gogh, the biggest difference with this work is the number of flowers, the composition, and also the color of the background. Unlike the other "Sunflowers", it is painted in royal blue. Also, the small number of flowers makes the flowers stand out more strikingly. The purple color of the table is not found in other "Sunflowers". Van Gogh also painted the gaps in the table with slightly different colors. It can be said that the ceramic panel has carefully reproduced even these details.
There are many masterpieces that have been lost, but I think it is very significant that they have been revived in Japan, where Van Gogh is so loved. The Otsuka Museum of Art will soon be celebrating its 20th anniversary in a few years, and I have a dream of eventually creating a sunflower corner somewhere, with a total of 7 oil paintings of sunflowers (excluding those from his time in Paris).
