The Museum Collection currently consists of approximately 4,200 works of Kyoto modern art comprising Japanese paintings, Western-style paintings, sculpture, prints, crafts, and calligraphy. In particular, the Collection includes masterpieces representative of Japanese painting made by Kyoto artists between the Meiji and Showa periods, making it one of the leading collections of such works in Japan.

From the Meiji to Taisho periods, Japan underwent rapid industrialization under the influence of developed Western countries, and the influx of new culture led to its rapid modernization. In particular, people’s lifestyles underwent a transformation, especially in urban areas, and the country entered the Showa period (prewar period) with a unique blend of Japanese and Western styles, from architecture and interior design to fashion and lifestyle. At the same time, Western-style paintings and Japanese paintings at state art exhibitions actively depicted the modern customs of the time, and even in the field of crafts, many works were influenced by Art Deco, a style popular in the West that was accepted in Japan as the art of a new era. This special display focuses on paintings and craftworks from the early Showa period (around 1930s), which includes 1933 when the Museum opened, and introduces works that captured the modernity of the time.

Other scheduled displays: Feature Exhibition VOCA 30th Anniversary Exhibition
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the VOCA Exhibition, held annually to support young artists with international potential in the fields of painting, photography, and other two-dimensional media, the Museum will introduce related works from the Museum collection.

2023 Schedule