【Report】"Art to Cherish: Forms of Happiness Seen in Paintings and Ceramics" at Hakone Okada Museum of Art until June 7: Full of Auspicious Signs like Pine, Bamboo, Plum, Cranes, Phoenix, Seven Lucky Gods, and Mt. Fuji
The exhibition "Art to Cherish" at the Okada Museum of Art features auspicious motifs like pine, bamboo, and plum, showcasing forms of happiness in paintings and ceramics.Summary
The Okada Museum of Art in Hakone is hosting the exhibition "Art to Cherish: Forms of Happiness Seen in Paintings and Ceramics" until June 7, 2026, featuring auspicious items from its collection. The exhibition explores motifs symbolizing happiness, such as Pine, Bamboo, and Plum (Shochikubai), noting that these plants originally had no ranking difference in China. It also highlights ceramics decorated with these motifs, sometimes alongside auspicious creatures like the Phoenix. Other featured themes include objects celebrating the five seasonal festivals (Sekku), such as items related to the Chrysanthemum Festival (Choyo no Sekku), and art depicting auspicious animals like cranes and phoenixes. The display also showcases beloved figures like the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin), including works by Ogata Korin. A highlight is the display of the preliminary sketch for Fukui Eitaro's massive outdoor work, "Kaze/Toki" (Wind/Time), shown alongside historical depictions of the Wind God and Thunder God by masters like Kano Tan'yu. The exhibition concludes with paintings of Mt. Fuji, offering educational commentary alongside the artworks.
(Source：美術展ナビ)