Collections
Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art exhibits artworks related to the Mingei Movement greatly supported by Tamesaburo Yamamoto, the first president of Asahi Breweries as well as masterpieces from the “Water Lilies” series by Claude Monet, the master of the Impressionist school, and other artworks. Here we present sixty examples from the Museum's collection of approximately 1,000 artworks.
Claude Monet (1840–1926)
Claude Monet, born in Paris, was a French painter representative of impressionism. Our collection includes his works painted mainly at his residence in Giverny in the suburbs of Paris in his later years, such as the Water Lilies series and Japanese Bridge.
Kanjiro Kawai (1890–1966)
Kanjiro Kawai was born in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, and based in Kyoto in his active days. As a cofounder of the Mingei Movement together with Soetsu Yanagi and others, he created ceramic works that served the purpose of daily use. His works are characterized by a wide variety of shapes and a unique way of using glazes.
Shoji Hamada (1894–1978)
Shoji Hamada was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. After engaging in creating ceramic works in the UK, he returned to Japan and devoted the rest of his life to making his works in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture. As a cofounder of the Mingei Movement together with Soetsu Yanagi and others, he created robust works rooted in daily life.
Bernard Leach (1887–1979)
Bernard Leach was born in Hong Kong. After spending his childhood in Japan, he returned to the UK. Back in Japan, he engaged in creating ceramic works and then returned to the UK again, where he built a kiln with Shoji Hamada. He synthesized traditional techniques from both the East and the West into his works.