The Hida Takayama Museum of Art (Location: 1-124-1 Kamiokamot-cho, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, within Sanctuary Court Takayama / Director: Koki Mukai), which offers a new artistic experience woven from light, sound, and scent, will hold a special exhibition sale "The Beauty of Hagi Ware and Art Nouveau ~Yearning for Nature Surrounding Hokkai and Gallé~" for a limited time from July 18 (Sat) to July 26 (Sun), 2026, in anticipation of the special exhibition "Masters of Japonisme and Art Nouveau ~Eastern and Western Thoughts on Nature~" opening on July 27 (Mon), 2026.

René Lalique, "Fountain in the Champs-Élysées Shopping Arcade"

Tamano Yasuo, "Mountain Valley (Waterfall) Flowing Water Ceramic Box (Takashima Hokkai's Nagato Gorge Popularized)"

This exhibition will feature Hagi ware works by Mr. Yasuo Tamano, a representative ceramic artist from Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. In conjunction with the exhibition "Masters of Japonisme and Art Nouveau ~Eastern and Western Thoughts on Nature~" opening on Monday, July 27, we will focus on the exchange between Hokkai Takashima, a botanist and painter from Hagi, and Émile Gallé, a representative artist of the Hida Takayama Museum of Art, to unravel the origins of aesthetic consciousness that connected Eastern and Western art and culture.

In the late 19th century, Art Nouveau flourished in Europe, driven by a yearning for nature. Émile Gallé, who was at the center of this movement, received much inspiration from Japanese art and botany, and his creative background is known to have involved exchanges with Hokkai Takashima.

Meanwhile, Hagi ware is a Japanese pottery that values the beauty of the texture of the clay, the traces of the flame, and the passage of time that develops with the user, rather than competing in elaborate decoration. Its form embodies a unique Japanese aesthetic of observing, embracing, and accepting nature.

This exhibition offers a space where the gaze towards nature expressed by Émile Gallé and Alphonse Mucha resonates with the quiet beauty inherent in Hagi ware. Experience the exchange of aesthetic consciousness that connects Hida Takayama and Hagi, glass art and ceramics, the East and the West.

"The Beauty of Hagi Ware and Art Nouveau ~Yearning for Nature Surrounding Hokkai and Gallé~" Overview

[Location] Hida Takayama Museum of Art Lobby

[Period] July 18 (Sat) - July 26 (Sun), 2026

[Hours] 9:00 - 17:00 *Until 12:00 on the final day only

[Contents]

Special Exhibition: 1 hanging scroll and 1 framed work by Hokkai Takashima

Exhibition and Sale: Approximately 20 Hagi ware pieces by Mr. Yasuo Tamano / Approximately 5 glass art pieces by Émile Gallé & Daum Frères / Approximately 5 lithographs by Alphonse Mucha

[URL] https://htma.rtg.jp/event/detail/?event=00031

[Inquiries] 0577-40-1007 (Hida Takayama Museum of Art 8:00 - 18:00)

View Details

Highlights of This Special Exhibition

1 The Little-Known Story Connecting Hokkai Takashima and Émile Gallé

Hokkai Takashima, a botanist and painter from Hagi, interacted with Émile Gallé during his stay in France, and his botanical knowledge and view of nature greatly influenced Gallé's creations. This exhibition will introduce the relationship between these two figures who connected Eastern and Western art and culture.

2 The Common Aesthetic of "Observing Nature"

Both Émile Gallé's glass art and Hagi ware are rooted in a deep observation of nature. Gallé captured the vitality of plants in glass, while Hagi ware embraces the serendipity of clay and fire. You can witness a world of beauty that resonates despite their different expressions.

3 Eastern and Western Craft Cultures Intersect in Hida Takayama

Holding this event in Hida Takayama, a region with a strong Japanese cultural presence, provides an opportunity to re-examine the Japanese aesthetic that Western artists admired. Viewing this in conjunction with the special exhibition will allow for a deeper appreciation of the spread of Japonisme.

Artist Profile: Yasuo Tamano (Yamato Yasuo)

Hagi Ware Artist / Designated Intangible Cultural Property Holder of Yamaguchi Prefecture

Inheriting the lineage of his grandfather, Sakutaro Yamato (Shōryoku kiln), the founder of Yamaguchi Hagi ware, he was born in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. He showed his talent early under his father, Shunshin Yamato (Shunshin Shōryoku kiln), and had already become a fully-fledged craftsman by the time he was in junior high school. While faithfully inheriting the traditional techniques of Yamaguchi Hagi ware established by his family, he has established his own unique style that incorporates the spirit of the times. In 2014, he was certified as a holder of the Yamaguchi Prefecture Designated Intangible Cultural Property "Hagi Ware."

"Masters of Japonisme and Art Nouveau ~Eastern and Western Thoughts on Nature~" Overview

Émile Gallé, "Chrysanthemum Crest Crane-Neck Vase"

This exhibition traces the path of Émile Gallé and other masters of Art Nouveau, exploring how they drew inspiration from Japanese art and spirituality to create innovative glass art.

[Period] July 27, 2026 (Mon) - February 15, 2027 (Mon) *Open daily during the exhibition period

[Hours] 10:00 - 18:00 (Last admission 17:00) *On the final day only, 10:00 - 12:00 (Last admission 11:00)

[URL] https://htma.rtg.jp/event/detail/?event=00030

[Inquiries] 0577-40-1007 (Hida Takayama Museum of Art 8:00 - 18:00)

About the Hida Takayama Museum of Art

The Hida Takayama Museum of Art is a museum that collects and exhibits masterpieces of Art Nouveau and Art Deco from around the world, including Émile Gallé's vase "Roses of France" and René Lalique's "Fountain in the Champs-Élysées Shopping Arcade." Since its opening in 1997, it has inherited the "former Hida Takayama Museum of Art," which received high acclaim, including seven consecutive three-star ratings in the Michelin Guide, and was reborn in 2024 within "Sanctuary Court Takayama Art Gallery Resort." With the concept of "Artrium Unleashed by Sparkle," it creates a fantastical space where light, sound, and scent merge. Music, colors, and aromas that change in response to the natural sounds and seasonal transitions of Hida Takayama envelop visitors' senses, offering an artistic experience that evolves with time.

[Address] 1-124-1 Kamiokamot-cho, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture (within Sanctuary Court Takayama)

[Hours] 10:00 - 18:00 (Last admission 17:00)

[Admission Fees] General: Adults ¥2,000 / University & High School Students ¥1,800 / Junior High School Students ¥1,300 / Elementary School Students ¥500

Local Discount: 50% off general admission (free for elementary school students and younger)

Persons with Disabilities: Adults ¥1,200 / University & High School Students ¥1,080 / Junior High School Students ¥780 / Elementary School Students ¥300

[URL] https://htma.rtg.jp/

[Official Instagram] https://www.instagram.com/hidatakayama_museum_of_art/

[Inquiries] 0577-40-1007 (Hida Takayama Museum of Art 8:00 - 18:00)

*All admission fees include tax.

*The local discount is applicable to residents of Takayama City, Hida City, Gero City, and Shirakawa Village.

*Persons with disabilities may be accompanied by one person at the same discounted rate.

*Students, persons with disabilities, and those using the local discount must present proof of eligibility at the reception.

*Photos are for illustrative purposes only.

*Contents are subject to change.

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Event