Collector, Patron, and a Man Who Loved Art - Sumitomo Shunsui Special Exhibition Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of His Passing at Iizuka Bokokan Tokyo (Report)
A special exhibition at Iizuka Bokokan Tokyo commemorates 100 years since the death of Sumitomo Shunsui, showcasing his art collection and cultural support.Summary
The special exhibition at Iizuka Bokokan Tokyo commemorates the 100th anniversary of the death of Sumitomo Shunsui (1864-1926), the 15th head of the Sumitomo family who laid the foundation for the modern Sumitomo Group. The report highlights Shunsui's art collection and cultural support activities. After being influenced by the concept of "noblesse oblige" during an overseas inspection in the Meiji era, he collected a wide range of works, including paintings by Monet and Kuroda Seiki, and used his Suma villa as a "museum residence" that became a valuable learning space for Western-style painters. He also contributed to cultural promotion through donations, such as to the Osaka Library, and envisioned establishing an art museum. The exhibition features works like Monet's paintings, a wooden model for the Kusunoki Masashige bronze statue, and paintings by Harada Nishi-ko, presenting Shunsui's refined aesthetic sensibility and his commitment to extending art collection into artist support and cultural advancement for society.
(Source：アイエム［インターネットミュージアム］)