ART: "Children in Art: Bonds Between Children and Artists" Exhibition Held in Tokyo and Osaka
LOUNGE / ART
March 31, 2015

ART: "Children in Art: Bonds Between Children and Artists" Exhibition Held in Tokyo and Osaka


ART│Children Painted by 48 Renowned Artists, Including Monet, Renoir, Matisse, and Picasso


Exhibition 'Children: Bonds Between Artists and Children in Masterpieces' Held in Tokyo and Osaka


The exhibition 'Children: Bonds Between Artists and Children in Masterpieces,' featuring works by renowned artists depicting their own children and those close to them, opens on Saturday, April 19, at the Mori Arts Center Gallery and runs until Sunday, June 29. It will also be held at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts from Saturday, July 19, to Monday, October 13 (public holiday).


Text by YANAKA Tomomi




What Did Parents Seek to Leave Behind, and What Did Children Feel?





The exhibition 'Children: Bonds Between Artists and Children in Masterpieces' showcases paintings of adorable children by approximately 48 artists, including celebrated figures like Monet, Renoir, Rousseau, Matisse, and Picasso, as well as lesser-known talents. This exhibition, which was highly acclaimed at the Musée de l'Orangerie in France, now arrives in Japan.

The exhibition features a wealth of precious masterpieces. Among them, Maurice Denis's 'Ako Playing the Trumpet,' which was carefully preserved by his family, is being shown in Japan for the first time. Also on display are 87 works, including Henri Rousseau's 'Child Holding a Doll,' one of only four known paintings of children by the artist, and a portrait by Monet, known for his water lilies, depicting his son with affectionate brushstrokes.

In addition, to coincide with the exhibition in Japan, works by Tsuguharu-Léonard Foujita, who was active in France, will be specially exhibited. Interviews with the children who served as models are also introduced, offering a glimpse into their feelings at the time and the true nature of their artist parents.

What gaze did the artists cast upon their beloved children, and how did the children experience those moments? We invite you to enjoy a different way of appreciating art by deciphering the messages and anecdotes hidden within the works through the children's perspectives.



Children Exhibition 02

Henri Rousseau, 'Child Holding a Doll,' c. 1904-05. Musée de l'Orangerie © RMN-Grand Palais (musée de l'Orangerie) / Franck Raux / distributed by AMF – DNPartcom






Children Exhibition 03

Claude-Marie Dubufe, 'The Dubufe Family, 1820,' 1820. Musée du Louvre © RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre) / Gérard Blot / distributed by AMF-DNPartcom




Children Exhibition 04

Augustin Rouart, 'Jean-Marie Asleep, or First Sleep,' 1946. Private Collection © Collection particulière
Photo: Nakamura Fushijin







Louis-Léopold Boilly, 'My Little Soldiers,' 1809. Musée de la Chartreuse, Douai. Inventory No.: 2043 Photo: Hugo Maertens






'Children: Bonds Between Artists and Children in Masterpieces' Tokyo Exhibition
Dates: Saturday, April 19 – Sunday, June 29
Hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Closed April 29 and May 6; closes at 5:00 PM on Tuesdays)
Venue: Mori Arts Center Gallery
52F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-5777-8600 (Hello Dial)
Admission: General ¥1500, University Students ¥1200, Junior & Senior High School Students ¥800

'Children: Bonds Between Artists and Children in Masterpieces' Osaka Exhibition
Dates: Saturday, July 19 – Monday, October 13 (public holiday) (Closed Mondays, except when a public holiday, in which case closed the following day)
Hours: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Venue: Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
1-82 Chausuyama-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka City
Tel. 06-6771-4874
Admission: General ¥1500, High School & University Students ¥1000