ART | Balthus Exhibition at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
ART│First Major Retrospective Since the Death of the "Last Master of the 20th Century"
Balthus Exhibition at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and The Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
A major retrospective exhibition of the painter Balthus (Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, 1908-2001), known as the "last master of the 20th century," is being held in Tokyo and Kyoto. It will be on display at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum from Saturday, April 19th to Sunday, June 22nd, and at The Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art from Saturday, July 5th to Sunday, September 7th.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Featuring Rare Works from Japan and Abroad, with a Recreation of His Studio
Balthus was born in Paris in 1908 to a father who was an art historian and a mother who was a painter. He was self-taught in the traditions of European painting, and without belonging to any of the art movements of the 20th century, which was a period of flourishing artistic diversity, he forged a world of original figurative painting.
This exhibition, held with the full cooperation of Setsuko, his wife, whom he married in 1967, commemorates the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Switzerland. It is the first major retrospective since his death in Japan. Over 40 oil paintings, as well as approximately 100 works including sketches and personal belongings, gathered from around the world, will be showcased. These include not only collections from renowned museums worldwide but also works from private collections that are rarely exhibited.
Balthus was born in Paris in 1908 to a father who was an art historian and a mother who was a painter. He was self-taught in the traditions of European painting, and without belonging to any of the art movements of the 20th century, which was a period of flourishing artistic diversity, he forged a world of original figurative painting.
This exhibition, held with the full cooperation of Setsuko, his wife, whom he married in 1967, commemorates the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Switzerland. It is the first major retrospective since his death in Japan. Over 40 oil paintings, as well as approximately 100 works including sketches and personal belongings, gathered from around the world, will be showcased. These include not only collections from renowned museums worldwide but also works from private collections that are rarely exhibited.
Balthus, "The Golden Days," 1944-1946, oil on canvas, 148x199cm
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Gift of the Joseph H. Hirshhorn Foundation, 1966. Photography by Lee Stalsworth
Among his works, the paintings of young girls are symbolic of the solitary artist Balthus. He continued to explore this motif throughout his life, considering girls to be "the most perfect symbol of beauty." This exhibition features numerous works depicting young girls, including some shown in Japan for the first time. The collection includes works that can be considered the epitome of Balthus's art, with seemingly unnatural, sometimes provocative poses, and scenes set in tense indoor environments.
Balthus, "Alice in the Mirror," 1933, oil on canvas, 162.3x112cm, Centre Pompidou © Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Philippe Migeat / distributed by AMF
Balthus, "The Red Desk and the Japanese Woman," 1967-1976, casein and tempera on canvas, 145x192cm, Collection of Mr. Brent R. Harris © Christie’s Images Limited 2014
Furthermore, a recreation of Balthus's studio, built on the grounds of "Grand Chalet," where he spent his later years in Rossinière, Switzerland, will be on display. Unused paints, palettes, and art books are presented as they were in his lifetime, revealing the artist's little-known world of imagination and thought.
His works, including serene landscapes and indoor scenes of young girls, possess a mysterious and tense atmosphere. This is a rare opportunity to experience the world of Balthus, whom Picasso called "the last master of the 20th century."
Balthus, "Therese Dreaming," 1938, oil on canvas, 150x130cm, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, 1999 (1999.363.2). Photo: Malcolm Varon. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image source: Art Resource, NY
Balthus Exhibition - Tokyo Venue
Dates: Saturday, April 19 - Sunday, June 22 (Closed Mondays and Wednesday, May 7. Open on Sunday, April 28 and Sunday, May 5.)
Hours: 9:30 - 17:30
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Special Exhibition Gallery
8-36 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-5777-8600 (Hello Dial)
Admission: Adults ¥1600, Students ¥1300, High School Students ¥800, Seniors (65+) ¥1000
Balthus Exhibition - Kyoto Venue
Dates: Saturday, July 5 - Sunday, September 7 (Closed Mondays. Open on Monday, July 21.)
Hours: 9:00 - 17:00
Venue: The Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
124 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Tel. 075-771-4107
Admission: Adults ¥1500, High School/University Students ¥1000, Elementary/Junior High School Students ¥500