Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Return Home En Masse. The "Nanto Buddhist Painting" Exhibition to be Held at the Nara National Museum
The Nara National Museum will host a special exhibition in the summer of 2026 featuring masterpieces of Nanto Buddhist paintings and sculptures owned by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.Summary
The Nara National Museum will hold a special exhibition titled "Nanto Buddhist Painting—The Beauty of Nara Tenpyō Revived" from July 18 to September 13, 2026, showcasing numerous masterpieces of Buddhist paintings and sculptures related to Nanto (Nara) held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This exhibition marks the first systematic attempt to trace the development of "Nanto Buddhist Painting" from the Nara period through the Kamakura period, highlighted by the reunion of major works from the Boston MFA collection and the Nara National Museum's collection. Furthermore, items formerly owned by Uchiyama Eikyū-ji Temple, which was abolished following the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the early Meiji era, will also be gathered, including the "Four Heavenly Kings Statues" owned by the Boston MFA, bringing the memory of the lost temple to the present day. This internationally co-planned exhibition is a groundbreaking opportunity to present the depth of Nara's Buddhist culture spanning over 1,300 years across ancient, medieval, and modern times.
(Source：美術手帖)