Masterpieces of Japanese Art in Polish Collections

18 June – 9 August 2015

Japanese art has for years enjoyed much popularity among the Polish public, even if there have only been a few occasions to actually view Japanese artefacts on display in Poland. This is why the exhibition at the National Museum in Warsaw offers an exceptional opportunity to take a look at the most precious examples of Japanese painting, sculpture and artisanal handicraft from Polish public collections. The display, organized by the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology and the National Museum in Warsaw, is an attempt to recreate in Warsaw the exhibition that honoured the 25th anniversary of the Museum in Krakow.

Our exhibition encompasses about 300 items. They come from the collections of the National Museum in Warsaw and Krakow which hold the largest collections of Japanese art in Poland. Also exhibited will be Japanese artefacts from the National Museums in Poznań and Wrocław and the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów, Warsaw, whose collections, while not large, are estimated to be world-class.

The richness and diversity of forms, decorations and handcrafting techniques invite us into the extraordinary and brightly-coloured world of Japanese art. There is the sophistication and flamboyance of forms next to noble minimalism, and imperfection caused by passing time next to unequalled mastery of craft – all that united by a flawless sense of beauty.

Curator of the exhibition: Anna Katarzyna Maleszko
Curator of the exhibition at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology in Krakow: Anna Król

The exhibition organised by the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology and the National Museum in Warsaw