Author: nakano

National Museum of Western Art

A major retrospective exhibition of the works of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875–1911), a leading Lithuanian artist, titled “Čiurlionis Exhibition: Inner Star Chart,” is currently being held at the National Museum of Western Art. This is the first major retrospective in Japan in 34 years. The exhibition runs until June 14, 2026 (Sunday).

*All exhibited works are by Mikaloyus Constantinas Čiurlionis and are from the collection of the National Museum of Art, MK Čiurlionis, Kaunas, Lithuania.

In the early 20th century, Čiurlionis demonstrated exceptional talent in both painting and music, laying the foundation for modern Lithuanian culture. During his short life of 35 years, he produced over 300 works during approximately six years of his artistic career.

His art was formed under the rule of the Russian Empire and amidst the national liberation movement, and is rooted in a unique Lithuanian identity, drawing inspiration from the country’s rich nature, history, and ancient folk tales. At the same time, he was interested in theosophy and astronomy, deepening his contemplation on the human spiritual world and the mysteries of the universe. Known for his unique expression that bridges Symbolist and Abstract painting, his innovative approach, particularly his transformation of musical forms into the structure of paintings, stemming from his sensibility as a composer, has solidified his reputation today.

Held in Lithuania to commemorate the 150th anniversary of his birth, this exhibition showcases approximately 80 representative paintings, prints, and drawings from the collection of the National Museum of Art, M. K. Čiurlionis (Kaunas).

 The exhibition is structured into three chapters, with a prologue and epilogue added, and the prologue introduces the starting point of Čiurlionis’s artistic career.

Born in 1875 into a modest family in southern Lithuania, Čiurlionis displayed musical talent from a young age under the tutelage of his organist father. In 1894, at the age of 18, he enrolled in the Warsaw Conservatory in neighboring Poland to study composition. He honed his skills there until 1901, composing musical works including his representative symphonic poem “In the Forest.” After studying at the Royal Conservatory of Leipzig in Germany, it wasn’t until around 1902 that he seriously pursued his long-held dream of becoming a painter.

His early paintings are said to have strongly exhibited Symbolist expression, but unfortunately, most of them have been lost. “Whispers in the Forest” (1904), painted in 1904 when he enrolled as a first-year student at the newly established Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, is a valuable surviving example.

In the painting, a hand, hazy like mist, emerges before a grove of trees standing in a mysterious, dark forest. Comparing it to a postcard of the same motif created the previous year, it becomes clearer how the form of the trees is superimposed with the strings of a harp, and the soft murmur of the forest with the sound of a plucked harp. This work already strongly reflects the musical sensibility that would characterize Čiurlionis’s paintings.

Chapter 1, “The Rhythm of Nature,” traces the depiction of nature as portrayed by Čiurlionis.

While based in Warsaw, Čiurlionis’s rich natural environment remained a source of inspiration for his art. However, his paintings rarely depicted realistic landscapes; his primary focus was on the dynamic changes of nature. He abstractly, and sometimes anthropomorphically, captured the rhythms and cyclical processes inherent in nature, imbuing them with lyricism and symbolism.

These interests culminated in a series of works focusing on nature, such as the changing seasons. In his earliest series , “Flash” (1906), consisting of three pieces, a fantastical image unfolds: as night deepens, a cluster of lights emerges from gray smoke and moves in a line, eventually arriving in front of a blue gate as if guided by the wind.

At first glance, the flash of light might evoke natural phenomena like the bioluminescence of fireflies. However, for Čiurlionis, the “gate” is a crucial motif, symbolizing the boundary between reality and fantasy, the visible and the invisible, or perhaps an entrance to a spiritual dimension or a passageway for the soul. Considering these points, it can also be interpreted as suggesting a process in which something fundamental, such as spirit or soul, undergoes transformation through the gate.

Furthermore, while many of the surrounding painters focused on the tranquil and melancholic aspects of winter, Čiurlionis attempted to visualize the inherent power within it, along with its dynamism. In his eight-part series “Winter” (1907), he consistently uses trees, symbols of life, as his main theme, depicting them in various forms amidst the diverse aspects of winter nature.

The series depicts trees standing in a snowfield, encased in solid blocks of ice, sometimes presenting contrasting concepts such as life and death, hope and despair, and at other times representing a candlestick metaphor hinting at divine revelation. As the snow melts and the breath of life begins to emerge, all the motifs—trees, snowflakes, etc.—are reduced to geometric clusters of stars and rectangles, concluding the series in a way that demonstrates the very resilient energy inherent in winter.

Chapter 2, “Symphonic Painting,” finally tackles the theme of Čiurlionis’s attempt to fuse painting and music.

Čiurlionis focused on this theme intensively and systematically between 1907 and 1909. In Europe at that time, a movement to fuse painting and music was spreading among painters, influenced by the ideas of Baudelaire, Wagner, and Nietzsche. However, while many painters were interested in synesthetic musical expression through color, Čiurlionis, from his unique perspective as a composer, applied the structure of music itself to painting. This is precisely why Čiurlionis occupies a unique position in the history of modern art.

In the diptych “Prelude, Fugue” (1908), the prelude is placed as an introduction to the fugue, a form of polyphony in which multiple voices (parts) imitate and pursue a theme.

In “Prelude,” the golden ship floating in the center of the screen immediately catches the eye, but what is noteworthy is how the figure sitting with its head bowed in the lower right corner of the screen, the hand pointing upwards, and the tower-like silhouette continue into the lower part of the “Fugue.”

In the following “Fugue,” the fir tree takes center stage, in addition to the aforementioned motifs. What initially appears to be a tranquil lakeside scene is, upon closer inspection, noticing a mismatch between the image of the fir tree and its reflection on the water’s surface. Here, adhering to the structure of the fugue, each motif is repeated with subtle variations in form and color, evoking musicality through variations in scale and sparseness.

As seen in this work, Čiurlionis abandoned the traditional perspective-based representational space and constructed the image with multiple horizontally segmented layers. Then, much like counterpoint (a compositional technique such as fugue) in which multiple independent melodies are harmonized and progress simultaneously, he made each layer resonate, successfully visually representing the impression of polyphony.

Furthermore, Čiurlionis introduced the sonata form of music into painting, creating seven series of works with more grand compositions throughout his life. This exhibition features three of these works: “Sonata No. 3 (Serpent Sonata),” “Sonata No. 5 (Sea Sonata),” and “Sonata No. 6 (Star Sonata)” (all from 1908). Each chapter of the series is given a title indicating the tempo, and “Sonata No. 5 (Sea Sonata)” is composed of three chapters: “Allegro,” “Andante,” and “Finale.”

In the “Allegro,” composed of regular horizontal layers, the sea is perceived as a musical score with bouncing notes, and the waves, foam, and golden particles spreading along the shore create a lively rhythm. In the following “Andante,” the movement of the waves becomes more leisurely. In a tranquil atmosphere, the gaze sinks to an underwater kingdom where images from Lithuanian mythology overlap. And in the “Finale,” motifs such as foam and sailing ships converge with the exhilarating rhythm of rising waves, leading to a dramatic conclusion.

This work was conceived and created by Čiurlionis during a summer vacation with his fiancée, Sophia, at a resort on the Baltic Sea, and some believe its festive atmosphere is an expression of his personal happiness. Furthermore, the imagery of the great wave in the “Finale” has been noted as being influenced by Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” from his “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.” (※This work is currently on display in the concurrently running exhibition, “Hokusai: Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji – From the Inouchi Collection.”)

The sea is associated with images of eternity and the cycle of life, and the repetition of waves embodies musical rhythm, making it a motif that deeply resonates with Čiurlionis’s sensibility, and it was also treated as a theme in his symphonic poems and prose poems. In this chapter’s exhibition room, the symphonic poem for piano “La Mer” is played as background music, and the manuscript of the score for “La Mer” is also on display. You will be able to explore from multiple perspectives how Čiurlionis listened attentively to the presence of nature and “transcribed” its melodies into his works.

Chapter 3, “Fantasy Dedicated to Lithuania,” focuses on the Lithuanian national character while introducing works from Čiurlionis’s mature period.

Following Russia’s defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and the First Russian Revolution, the national liberation movement rapidly gained momentum in Lithuania. Čiurlionis, as one of the leading figures in the country’s art world, also dedicated himself to the movement, creating essay collections that served as a spiritual manifesto for Lithuanian culture, as well as illustrations for collections of Lithuanian folk songs. At its core was the belief that a re-evaluation of local folklore, folk songs, and crafts—all aspects of national culture—was essential for the formation of a lost national identity and the construction of a distinctly Lithuanian artistic style.

On the other hand, national culture also served as a good source of inspiration for Čiurlionis’s own work. For example, the cross that appears in “The Lithuanian Cemetery” (1909) is one of the representative motifs of the country, embodying the nation’s desire for independence.

In this work, the sky, based on the translucent blue-green characteristic of tempera painting, shines with the Big Dipper, a guiding light for the soul, while the silhouettes of crosses are rhythmically arranged on the ground. These crosses are a fusion of Lithuania’s traditions of nature worship and ancestor worship with the symbols of Christianity, which was introduced as the state religion in the 14th century, and are original designs richly adorned with decorative motifs of plants, animals, and celestial bodies.

Gradually, the cross itself became a part of folk belief, and it was erected everywhere—in cemeteries, roadsides, and on farm grounds—as a means of prayer and commemoration in a broader sense, not only for mourning the dead, but also for safe travels and bountiful harvests. For this reason, it became a target of repression under the Russian Empire’s assimilation policies.

More solemnly proclaiming national revival is “Prelude (Prelude of the Knight)” (1909). Čiurlionis, who rarely depicts specific landscapes, has sprinkled elements reminiscent of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, into this city. The transparent knight (Vitis) bravely galloping above it is a symbol of national independence and glory, which was the national emblem of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the 14th to the end of the 18th century.

Furthermore, from 1907 onward, Čiurlionis established his own unique genre of painting, “fairy tales,” developing archetypal images that fused folk tales, myths, and universal narrative structures with his own vision.

The magical world, kings and princesses, knights, journeys, and roads are typical elements of this genre, and “Fairy Tale (A Fairy Tale of Kings)” (1909) is a work with kings as its theme. Set in a forest shrouded in darkness, two kings gaze upon a shining dome containing the beautiful nature and rural landscapes of Lithuania. They embody the duality of the world, while also being guardians watching over small Lithuania from outside the world.

The “king” has consistently been one of Čiurlionis’s important themes from the early stages of his artistic career. The image of the king as a transcendent being who governs the world becomes definitive in the masterpiece “Rex (King)” that appears in the epilogue of this exhibition.

On the other hand, Čiurlionis was exposed to the international intellectual trends of the time, such as theosophy and astronomy, which deepened his reflections on the human spiritual world and the mysteries of the universe.

The Altarpiece (1909), being exhibited in Japan for the first time, is a masterpiece by Čiurlionis, imbued with a sense of cosmic vision and a unique spatial representation from a bird’s-eye view. Depicted on the sides of the gigantic, stepped altar are motifs such as knights and angels, all of which hold symbolic significance for Čiurlionis. Their intricate interplay creates the appearance of a magnificent epic poem, progressing from the lower to the upper levels. At the same time, the motif of the stairs itself symbolizes the various stages of the ascending human spirit, and the number of steps is thought to correspond to the theosophical theory that divides the structure of the universe and humanity into seven stages.

The exhibition concludes with the epilogue of “Rex (King)” (1909), a masterpiece that most comprehensively demonstrates Čiurlionis’s thought and formal explorations, and is also his largest painting. In a canvas colored with beautiful monochrome light and shadow, the four elements that constitute the world—fire, water, earth, and air—are condensed. Under a multifaceted structure reminiscent of a grand symphonic poem, countless motifs such as stars, angels, and trees are repeated, while a double-layered, translucent king sits atop the earth, seemingly piercing the universe vertically.

In this still largely mysterious work, Čiurlionis integrated the diverse ideas he had absorbed—including indigenous Lithuanian nature worship, Hinduism, Egyptian mythology, theosophy, astronomy, and natural science—into a single narrative system, creating a new story distinct from the Christian God. The two kings, while demonstrating dualistic principles, are depicted not merely as rulers of the world, but as pantheistic beings integrated with nature and the universe.

This work was painted during a period when Čiurlionis, seeking further advancement as a painter, expanded his activities to Saint Petersburg, and as he had hoped, it was highly praised by Alexander Benois, a leading figure in the Russian art world. However, Čiurlionis was unaware of this, and due to the grueling nature of his work and the mental stress, his physical and mental health gradually deteriorated. He passed away on April 10, 1911, at the young age of 35, from pneumonia.

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Čiurlionis was a unique artist who fantastically depicted music and painting, Lithuanian national identity, and contemplations on the human psyche and the mysteries of the universe. Since 2000, exhibitions of his work have been held throughout Europe, and there is a growing momentum for re-evaluation of his original world. Please come and enjoy it at the venue.

Summary of the “Ciurlionis Exhibition: The Inner Star Chart”

*The information in this article is current as of the time of reporting. Please check the exhibition’s official website for the latest information.

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National Museum of Nature and Science

In recent years, so-called “battle encyclopedias,” which introduce and discuss the strengths of animals, dinosaurs, and mythical creatures in a battle format, have become very popular. “What is the strongest animal in the world?” “It’s the African elephant, obviously.” “No, after all, the hippo is strong.” Such discussions are a fun topic that can get both curious children and adults excited.

Immense power, sharp fangs, deadly venom, electric shocks. The astonishing abilities of dangerous creatures that humans cannot match. These are abilities that can be called “ultimate techniques” that they have acquired through evolution to hunt prey and defend themselves.

Focusing on such deadly techniques, the special exhibition “Super Dangerous Creatures Exhibition: Science Takes on the True Power of Living Things,” which explores everything from the astonishing ecology of dangerous creatures to the hidden dangers of familiar organisms from a scientific perspective, is currently being held at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, Tokyo. It may offer a new perspective on the debate surrounding “the strongest.” (The exhibition runs until June 14, 2026)

The venue’s design concept is a “forbidden laboratory exploring the astonishing abilities of dangerous creatures.” Instead of using existing taxonomic groups, dangerous creatures are classified into eight types based on their signature moves. They are presented using a variety of methods, including valuable specimens, sophisticated CGI, educational models, and impressive documentary footage.

■Exhibition composition
Area A: “Dangerous creatures that use melee attacks”
Lab 1. Power Fighter Type
Lab 2. Killer bite type
Lab 3. Armed Type
Lab 4. Large Swarm Type

Area B: “Dangerous creatures with special attack capabilities”
Lab 5. Highly venomous type
Lab 6. Chemical Attack Type
Lab 7. Electric Shock Type
Lab 8. Vampire type

Basically, each exhibit showcases one special move for each species, and apparently, the names of each move were created specifically for this exhibition by the curators in charge of each field. From cool move names that you’ll want to say out loud, to puns, and even some that are just too straightforward, the individuality of the curators shines through.

Also noteworthy are the exhibits that will appeal to children, such as “Animal Newspaper: The Case Files of Extremely Dangerous Creatures,” which presents real-life incidents involving dangerous creatures both domestically and internationally in a newspaper-style format, and card game-style icons categorized by type.

The “Power Fighter” exhibits are particularly impressive. Featuring African elephants, as well as green anacondas and cassowaries, these creatures possess overwhelming size and power that poses a formidable threat without needing any tricks.

For example, African elephants can deliver a devastating blow with a simple yet powerful move called the “nose powerbomb,” which involves simply flicking their trunk. The trunk, which is key to this move, can reach 2 meters in length and weigh 150 kg, and is unique in that it has no bones and is composed entirely of muscle. It is made up of bundles of approximately 90,000 muscle fibers, equivalent to the number of fibers in a human body, which allows for complex contractions and extensions. Furthermore, it is said that the hardness and shape of the trunk can be freely changed by adjusting the pressure by changing the amount of fluid inside, similar to a hydraulic system. Therefore, they possess not only brute strength but also dexterity, such as being able to pick up a chicken egg.

The next exhibit features a massive stuffed southern elephant seal, comparable in size to an African elephant. While many people may picture seals as laid-back, round, and calming animals, male southern elephant seals boast an impressive size of 5 meters in length and weigh 3 tons.

Even when bitten by sharks or orcas, elephant seals can sometimes survive by using a thick layer of subcutaneous fat up to 10 cm thick to block the teeth and regenerate their skin, demonstrating their remarkable survival abilities. Here, they show documentary footage of a southern elephant seal that wandered into the city and tried to crush a car with its deadly “body press” move while crawling, giving you a real sense of the threat they pose.

Another appealing aspect of this exhibition is that, starting with the theme “Orca vs. Great White Shark: Who is the strongest in the ocean?”, the columns displayed throughout the venue offer various pieces of information to help you make informed decisions about the topic of strength .

For example, in the “Killer Bite” exhibit, which features dangerous creatures that excel at biting, we explain not only the structure of teeth, which are covered with enamel, the hardest tissue in living organisms, but also the force of biting, or “occlusal force.”

When comparing the Bite Force Quotient (BFQ), a metric used to compare relative bite force independent of body size, among carnivores, an interesting result was found: the least weasel (164), a small species of weasel weighing around 100g, significantly surpasses the lion (123) and spotted hyena (99.6). Furthermore, the giant panda (151), a carnivore that is also a herbivore, also ranks highly, demonstrating that small size or herbivorous diets should not be underestimated.

The weasel family is comprised of extremely ferocious hunters, known for using their sharp canine teeth to take down prey larger than themselves, such as least weasels and wolverines. In particular, the honey badger, the largest species of weasel found on the African continent, is said to fearlessly confront lions that weigh more than 10 times its own weight, and its fierce fighting spirit is truly remarkable.

The honey badger’s signature move (ability) isn’t biting, but rather an “impenetrable body and anti-poison.” Surprisingly, its thick, flexible skin makes it resistant to damage from animal bites, porcupine stings, and bee stings, and it’s even resistant to the blows of venomous snakes like cobras. It can be said to be a well-balanced fighter with high levels of attack, defense, and survival ability.

Furthermore, the “Killer Bite” exhibit features the first-ever public display in Japan of a life-size replica of the world’s largest saltwater crocodile, nicknamed “Roron,” which measures over 6 meters in length .

Saltwater crocodiles, sometimes called “man-eating crocodiles” due to the numerous reported fatalities, are a popular subject of interest. Among them, Lolong holds the Guinness World Record for the “largest crocodile in captivity,” with an astonishing length of 6.17m and a weight of 1,075kg. A life-size replica of Lolong, faithfully reproduced from scans of its data taken in the Philippines, is on display at the venue. Its impressive size makes the story of how it took 100 people to pull it out of the sea quite believable. Another highlight is the video explanation of the “death roll,” where the crocodile bites its prey and twists its massive body underwater to tear it apart.

Among the exhibits featuring “swarming” creatures that pose a threat in groups, such as grasshoppers and piranhas, the army ant section is a must-see.

The army ant, which inhabits Southeast Asia and Africa, is known for its ecology of swarming in the tens of millions of individuals, devouring surrounding prey before moving on. It’s not just small lizards and grasshoppers that are attacked and killed; there have been reports of attacks on baby goats and even elderly people who are unable to move due to illness. The sheer power of their predatory abilities is enough to send chills down your spine.

The queen ant, the center of the colony, has long been considered an elusive and almost mythical creature, difficult to even confirm despite years of research by researchers both in Japan and abroad. However, Munetoshi Maruyama, associate professor at the Kyushu University Museum and one of the exhibition’s supervisors, and Taku Shimada, an insect explorer and photographer, conducted research in the Republic of Kenya. During filming for the TBS program “Crazy Journey,” they successfully encountered and photographed a queen ant. One of these precious queen ant specimens is on display in Japan for the first time at the venue.

Area B in the second half, “Special Attack Dangerous Creatures,” is exciting because of the variety of tricky special moves.

The exhibition begins with a “highly venomous” section analyzing the toxins of diverse creatures such as wasps, baby monitor lizards, and blue-ringed octopuses. This is followed by a “chemical attack” section featuring bizarre special moves such as the striped skunk’s powerful stinging liquid, 100°C high-temperature gas, and self-destructive defenses. The “electric shock” section explores the power generation mechanisms of creatures like electric eels, which can generate voltages of up to 850 volts. Finally, the “blood-sucking” section focuses on blood-sucking creatures such as vampire bats and ticks, and also touches upon the dangers of infectious diseases.

Area B features many creatures with visuals that may evoke a sense of physiological revulsion, such as tarantulas and giant centipedes, so those who are squeamish should be cautious. If you’re okay with that, please do take the time to observe their appearances in detail.

In the section dedicated to scorpions, a prime example of “highly venomous” scorpions, you’ll find the Deathstalker (meaning “the one that creeps towards death”), a medium-sized, slender scorpion with one of the most potent neurotoxins in the scorpion world, alongside the Emperor Scorpion, whose venom is surprisingly weak despite its imposing appearance, often resulting in pain comparable to a bee sting. An interesting point about scorpion venom is the tendency that “the smaller the claws, the stronger the venom, and conversely, the larger the claws, the weaker the venom,” which clearly demonstrates the fact that “the level of danger is not always what it seems.”

Speaking of creatures that are all show and no substance, the “highly venomous” sun spider, described as “one of the most frightening in the arthropod kingdom based on first impressions alone,” is a prime example. Its enormous chelicerae are impressive, but it poses no real threat beyond that. Although it may appear to charge towards humans, it is actually just seeking shade to escape the sun, which it dislikes, and is quite timid. It possesses neither venom nor a venomous stinger, so it’s a mystery why it was included in this exhibition, but that’s part of its charm. Its “dangerousness” based on its appearance is certainly on par with the main attraction.

Another highlight is the use of transparent specimens created with the latest technology for the “electric shock” type of electric eel, electric catfish, and electric ray.

Transparent specimens are a method of making biological specimens transparent through chemical treatment, allowing observation of internal structures without dissection. Conventional methods involved dissolving muscles and internal organs with strong chemicals, making it difficult to observe structures other than bone. However, in recent years, clearing techniques that allow observation of cells and genes within specimens without using strong chemicals have been developed one after another. This exhibition also uses an improved version of the CUBIC method, one of these techniques, making it possible to observe the structure of power-generating organs, which were previously difficult to visualize, in three dimensions.

This exhibition focuses on the deadly techniques of living creatures, aiming to unravel their amazing ecology and the hidden dangers of familiar organisms from a scientific perspective. However, reading the comments made by Shinichiro Kawada of the Department of Zoology at the National Museum of Nature and Science, who serves as the overall supervisor of the exhibition, it seems that behind the planning is a desire to convey the importance of “fearing correctly” based on scientific understanding.

Kawada warns against the mass media that sensationalizes the uncertain dangers of dangerous creatures, and against modern society surrounded by the internet overflowing with fake images and videos. Humans are creatures that feel not only fear but also admiration for those who possess abilities they lack, and they want to know more about them, imitate them, and surpass them. This thirst for knowledge has greatly driven the development of science, from anatomy to cutting-edge biochemistry and genetics. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the abilities of dangerous creatures are a “treasure trove of scientific knowledge,” and that much of it can be used for materials and technologies necessary for our lives.

As you explore this exhibition, you will come to realize that the knowledge needed to “fear appropriately” is a survival strategy for humanity that will lead to a better tomorrow.

At the press preview held prior to the exhibition, Akira Kawashima of the comedy duo Kirin, who serves as the exhibition’s ambassador and audio guide narrator, made an appearance.

Regarding his impressions of the exhibition, he commented, “There are many globally valuable materials, and the exhibition unfolds in a laboratory-like world in each area, so it felt like an attraction. As I went further in, I became more immersed, and I felt like I was part of the research team.” He said that the most noteworthy dangerous animal was the giraffe, and he said, “They are herbivores, and judging from their eyes, I thought they were gentle and cute, but when I saw the video, I learned that they can fight with necking, which is powerful enough to kill a person with their own neck. I felt bad for casually saying, ‘It’s a giraffe’,” which drew laughter from the audience.

Finally, they promoted the exhibition as follows:
“There was an exhibit showing that the weaker the scorpion’s venom, the larger its claws. It’s a lesson in how the weaker you are, the more likely you are to put on a brave face and pick a fight—a trait common to humans. After seeing the exhibit, you can reconsider what your own strengths are. You might find that it’s a compassionate heart, or the kindness to prioritize others—a strength unique to humans. I think it’s an exhibition where you can make such wonderful discoveries.”

The special exhibition “Exhibition of Extremely Dangerous Creatures: Science Takes on the Serious Challenges of Living Things” will run until June 14, 2026.

Special Exhibition “Exhibition of Extremely Dangerous Creatures: Science Takes on the Serious Challenges of Living Things” Overview

venue	National Museum of Nature and Science
Exhibition period	March 14th (Sat) – June 14th (Sun), 2026
Opening hours	9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM)
Open at night	From April 25th (Sat) to May 6th (Wed, holiday), the museum will be open until 6:00 PM (last entry at 5:30 PM).
Closed days	Monday, May 7th (Thursday) *However, the museum will be open on April 27th (Monday), May 4th (Monday/National Holiday), and June 8th (Monday).
Price (tax included)	General admission/University students: 2,300 yen; Elementary/Junior high/High school students: 600 yen (Tickets available on the day)
Organizer	National Museum of Nature and Science, TBS, TBS Growdia, Asahi Shimbun
inquiry	050-5541-8600 (Hello Dial), 03-5814-9898 (FAX)
Official website of the operator	https://chokikenseibutsuten.jp/

*Please note that the exhibition period, opening hours, and closing days may be subject to change.
*Please note that this information may not be up-to-date. For details, please check the exhibition’s official website.

 

Article provided by: Cocosil Ueno

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Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is hosting the first-ever exhibition in Japan showcasing paintings from the Golden Age of Swedish art, which has been gaining global attention in recent years. The exhibition, "Swedish Paintings: Nordic Light, Everyday Brilliance," commemorating the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, will run from Tuesday, January 27, 2026, to Sunday, April 12, 2026.

*All works shown are owned by the National Museum of Sweden.

Coastlines lined with rocky reefs. Majestic forests and lakes. Lands covered in harsh snow in winter. Traditional culture exemplified by midsummer festivals and a lifestyle of well-being. What we think of as "Swedishness" today was "rediscovered" by Swedish painters from the 1880s to around 1915, known as the Golden Age of Swedish art. With the full cooperation of the Nationalmuseum of Sweden, this exhibition systematically introduces the development of Swedish art during this Golden Age through approximately 80 paintings. It explores the uniquely Nordic sensibility of living a rich life in harmony with nature.

The exhibition is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1, "The Dawn of Modern Swedish Painting," begins with Nils Blommar, who is said to be the first painter to use Nordic mythology and folklore as themes, with the aim of establishing a uniquely Swedish art form.

Sweden was the first Nordic country to establish the Royal Academy of Drawings (later renamed the Royal Academy of Fine Arts) in 1735. Traditional art education was modeled on France, and Sweden's history and mythology were encouraged as important subjects, but by the mid-19th century, Sweden was strongly influenced by the new Romantic ideas that were gaining popularity in France and Germany. In landscape painting in particular, the works of painters from Düsseldorf, Germany, who dramatically depicted the ruggedness and sublimity of nature based on a meticulous view of nature, were seen as models, and many Nordic painters, including those from Sweden, traveled to that city in awe.

This trend was related to an exhibition of Nordic art held in Stockholm in 1850. Norwegian painters who had studied at the Düsseldorf School exhibited works at the exhibition depicting the lives of Norwegian peasants and the majestic landscapes of the fjords. To Swedish painters, these works appeared to be art that, while clothed in innovative foreign styles of expression, was deeply rooted in the real world of Scandinavia, and this sparked a desire to create a new, indigenous art form in their own country.

In the late 1870s, young Swedish painters, dissatisfied with the Academy's outdated teaching methods, headed to Paris in search of new forms of expression, values, and instruction. At the time in Paris, new forms of expression such as Impressionism, which overturned traditional artistic values, were flourishing, but many Swedish painters instead chose to gravitate towards realism and naturalism, which sought to capture humans and nature in their natural state.

Hugo Salmson (1843-1894), introduced in Chapter 2, "Towards Paris: Encounters with Modern French Painting," was one of the earliest Swedish painters to study in France. He favored the Barbizon School, which focused on peasants at work, as well as the Realist paintings of Jules Bastien-Lepage and Jules Breton. Looking at "The Gleaners," we can see that their influence is evident not only in the subject matter but also in the improvised, rough brushwork used to depict nature.

Another painter who came into contact with the plein air movement during his stay in Paris and acquired a style filled with bright, fresh colors and light was Arnold Josephson (1851-1906). In 1885, a group of young artists led by Josephson submitted a statement calling for reform to the outdated Royal Academy of Fine Arts. These artists, who chose to break away from the school, came to be known as the "Oponentena" (rebels), and would go on to lead the way in Swedish painting from the 1890s onwards.

Chapter 3, "The Artists' Village of Grez-sur-Loing," introduces the formation of artistic colonies (communities) across France by Scandinavian artists who began to place importance on outdoor art. In the 1880s, one of the bases for Swedish painters was the small village of Grez-sur-Loing, 70 kilometers southeast of Paris. They spent their summers here, capturing the daily lives of peasants and idyllic scenes along the Loing River.

The Swedish national painter Carl Larsson (1853-1919) also moved to the same area when he was still unknown, where he encountered watercolors and discovered a new direction for his expression in light-hearted landscape paintings filled with dazzling light.

Towards the end of the 1880s, many Swedish painters who had been working in France returned home and aimed to create art that was distinctively Swedish, in order to demonstrate their national identity.

Chapter 4, "The Brilliance of Everyday Life – Living a 'Swedish' Lifestyle," features works by artists who have found motifs in the harsh yet bountiful nature, their own families, close friends, or the fleeting joys hidden in everyday life, and have depicted them with intimate and emotional expressions.

It was Larsson, in particular, who shaped the image of "Swedish living." Larsson lived in Lilla Hitnes, a two-story house in the rural town of Sundborn in the central Dalarna region, with his wife Karin, also a painter, and their seven children. The house was repeatedly renovated to suit the family's needs, and, influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement that was popular in England at the time, he skillfully combined furniture from various eras and styles and decorated the interiors with textiles and embroidery designed by Karin herself. With passion, he created his ideal home, a comprehensive work of art for living.

In Swedish society at the time, the idea was spreading that a simple yet comfortable living environment surrounded by "truly beautiful things" made by artisans would foster people's aesthetic sense and lead to the creation of a better society. Against this cultural background, Larsson published "Ett hem" (A Dwelling) in 1899, a collection of watercolors depicting the interior decoration of his own home, scenes of a lively and carefree lifestyle, and seasonal events. This became widely known as an image of the ideal home symbolizing "Swedishness."

Although "A Home" contains 24 watercolors, in order to protect the artworks, only one original painting will be exhibited at each venue in Tokyo, Yamaguchi, and Nagoya. Instead, nine more watercolors will be introduced through specially produced video content, conveying the heartwarming atmosphere of "Lilla Hittnes" on a large screen.

Anders Sohn (1860-1920), a friend of Larsson and one of Sweden's earliest internationally successful painters, also returned from Paris and settled in Mora, his hometown in Dalarna. Dalarna is a region particularly steeped in history and tradition, and Sohn frequently used the folk culture of Dalarna, such as its traditional music and dress, which was in the process of being lost in the shadow of modernization, as his subject matter. His captivating style is characterized by his quick brushstrokes, vividly capturing fleeting moments of light and air, and his work Kor-Margit Knitting remains one of Sweden's most beloved and frequently reproduced works to this day.

Meanwhile, Chapter 5, "Beyond Reality: Painting the Invisible World," focuses on painters who were interested in the invisible world beyond reality, such as Norse mythology linked to their own spiritual worlds and nationalism, and the visualization of folklore.

Famous for his illustrations for the Swedish fairy tale collection "Bland tomtar och troll," Jon Bauer (1882-1918) was a beloved illustrator known for his fantastical worldviews based on Nordic folk tales featuring trolls and forest fairies. His depictions of dimly lit forests, painted in subdued colors and seemingly possessing a will of their own, and the trolls, whose eeriness is tinged with melancholy and humor, evoke a sense of mystery and a strong sense of awe for nature.

A particularly unique figure is August Strindberg (1849-1912), Sweden's leading playwright and writer of the 19th century. Self-taught, Strindberg devoted himself to painting for only a limited period of his life, which coincided with a period of mental instability, including a slump in his playwriting, family discord, and an interest in occultism and chemical experiments. Using a painting knife, he created landscapes that directly appealed to the viewer's psyche, even his own state of mind, with a unique style that made the most of the coincidences and images that emerged from the unconscious in the creative process.

Chapter 6, "With Nature: The Creation of New Swedish Painting," is the highlight of the exhibition. Sweden was once considered a country with "nothing to paint," but from the 1890s onwards, painters began to "discover" Sweden's unique natural beauty, such as its lush forests and lakes, rocky coastlines, and snow-covered winter landscapes, and they began to seek out suitable ways of depicting it.

For example, Gustav Fjestad (1868-1948) was a painter who settled on the shores of Lake Lacken in Värmland, central-western Sweden, and continued to paint winter scenes throughout his life. His work, Winter Moonlight, is characterized by its voluminous, decorative depiction of the fluffy, rounded snow that covers the ground and conifers. The light effects created by his unique pointillism, which rhythmically layers small dots and lines to create a sense of unity as a surface, give the snowy world a mysterious and tranquil atmosphere that is characteristic of Fjestad.

In particular, landscape paintings of this period placed emphasis not only on exploring subject matter and techniques, but also on expressing emotion and atmosphere through the landscape. This was fulfilled by the soft, delicate light of dusk and dawn, which replaced the brilliant sunlight seen in works of the 1880s. On summer nights, the long periods of twilight and the blue light that enveloped the night gave a lyrical feel, illuminating Sweden's rich natural landscapes. This artistic trend, later known as "National Romanticism," gave rise to distinctively Swedish paintings not found in art from other countries.

Nils Kruger (1858-1930), who had a strong interest in horses working in various working environments since his time in Paris, continued to paint scenes of grazing horses, cows, and other livestock resting on the island of Uland, near his hometown of Kalmar, even after returning to Sweden. Heavily influenced by Van Gogh in his later years, Kruger's painting "The Coming of Night" emotionally captures the air and light of twilight, with a blue light filling half of the canvas, rendered in short, Van Gogh-esque strokes. A closer look reveals that the blue light not only fills the sky, but also pours down on the bodies of the grazing horses and the earth, creating a grand, fantastical atmosphere in an otherwise ordinary landscape.

Additionally, the audio guide for this exhibition (fees apply) incorporates "slow looking" into the special track, a first for the museum. This viewing program is also implemented in the Nationalmuseum's educational programs, and allows visitors to appreciate the artworks more deeply through the process of carefully observing each piece and asking questions, so be sure to check it out when you visit.

Overview of "Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum 100th Anniversary Exhibition: Swedish Paintings: Nordic Light, Everyday Brilliance"

*The content of this article is current as of the time of coverage. Please check the official exhibition website for the latest information.

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