The Kitazawa Museum of Art, which stands on the shores of Lake Suwa, is known throughout the world for its collection of masterpieces by fin de siecle Art Nouveau glass artists Émile Gallé and the Daum brothers. Our museum, with its view of the lake, has chosen a water-related theme for this special exhibition.
Glass is often likened to clear, pure water, and while works presenting beautiful flowers by Gallé and Daum captivate our eyes, both also created many fascinating works related to water.
The Lorraine region, birthplace of Art Nouveau, is blessed with forests and lakes; people there hunt and fish, customs that provide subjects for craft works. The seashores of the Netherlands, a country that flourished through trade with East Asia have, meanwhile, long provided exotic themes for decorating ceramics. Gallé and Daum, building on those traditions while also influenced by the Japonisme then taking Europe by storm, created what was literally a new art, Art Nouveau.
Moreover, Gallé, who always sought profundity in artistic expression, was interested in undersea exploration, then a leading-edge field of study, and included the mysterious forms of what were then unfamiliar marine animals such as sea horses and jellyfish in his works.
This exhibition explores the appeal of Art Nouveau glass, with its many colors, from a different, water-inspired perspective. Please enjoy !