Current ExhibitionsExhibition
Shimmering Beauty: A Debut Display of Enamels of the National Museum of Western Art's Kaji Collection

Dates

Tuesday, 11 March - Sunday, 15 June 2025

Hours

9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Fridays, Saturdays 9:30 am – 8:00 pm
Admission ends 30 mins. before closing time

Closed

Mondays, 7 May（Opens 24 March, 5 May, 6 May）

Venue

Prints and Drawings Gallery, New Wing

Admission Fees

Adults 500 yen (400 yen), college and university students 250 yen (200 yen)

• * Admission is free for Special Exhibition or The Collection ticket holders.
• * Numbers in parenthesis indicate discount fees for groups of 20 or more.
• * Free for high school students, under 18, seniors (65 and over), "Campus Members". Please show your ID upon entrance.
• * Disabled visitors admitted free of charge, with one attendant. Please present your disability identification upon arrival.
• * Free admission of this exhibition and The Collection on 16 March, 13 April, 11 May and 8 June 2025 (Kawasaki Free Sunday).
• * Free admission of this exhibition and The Collection on 18 May 2025 (International Museum Day).

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Organized by

The National Museum of Western Art

In December 2024, a new collection of artifacts was donated to the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo. There are around 150 pieces in the collection, almost all of which are enamel artworks. You may be unaccustomed to hearing the word “enamel” in an artistic context. In Japanese, enamel artworks are normally referred to as shippo, and are created by firing a glass-like ceramic glaze onto a metal surface. The collection, which is a special selection of the most beautiful enamel artworks, was donated to NMWA by the jewelry artist Mitsuo Kaji, and this exhibition marks its debut appearance.

The Kaji Collection features a diverse lineup of pieces, many of which were created in France in the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. Enamel in the collection comes in a variety of forms, including everything from stand-alone pieces as tiny as a coin to those created as jewelry, decorative lids for small boxes, and larger, framed pieces that resemble paintings on canvas. Another major highlight of the collection is the fact that many of these pieces evoke the vitality of the Art Nouveau era. As well as the artifacts donated by Mitsuo Kaji, this exhibition features other works from his personal collection, including posters by Alfonse Mucha, glass containers by Émile Gallé, and items of furniture by Louis Majorelle, all displayed in an exhibition space that enables visitors to feel as if they are gaining an insight into the abundant world of arts and crafts during that era.

The most enchanting things about enamel artworks are their vibrant colors and delicate sparkle. When you first set your eyes on this dazzling light, it feels as if, rather than residing in the exhibits themselves, its beauty arises from within their radiant luminosity. In this sense, these enamel artworks are no different from precious gemstones. Be sure to pay a visit to this intimate exhibition gallery, which you will find suffused with an enchanting light.

Exhibition Checklist (PDF file, about 502KB)