A silk trader from Yokohama, Hara Sankei (1868-1939) is known for creating the Sankei-En garden, a traditional Japanese garden in Yokohama. However, Hara was a man of many talents and interests – an enthusiastic collector of antique art, a tea master, a painter, calligrapher and a classical Chinese scholar. Adding to this illustrious resume, Hara was also a patron who promoted talented artists; he took part in establishing the modern Japanese art world and market.
The exhibition will present Hara’s achievements as an art collector, tea master, artist and patron. The Yokohama Museum of Art is showcasing 150 artworks and tea utensils from Hara’s collection, which includes 25 masterpieces that have been designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. All this is held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Yokohama Museum of Art, as well as the 150th anniversary of collector’s birth and 80th anniversary of his death.