*Temporarily closed from February 29th to March 15th, 2020.
One cannot help but be swept back to a more elegant time when you enter Tokyo’s Art Deco Treasure, the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, in Meguro ward, Tokyo. The current exhibition titled “René Lalique – Modernity and Elegance” showcases 220 carefully selected examples from the world-renowned Kitazawa Museum of Art’s Lalique collection. Given René Lalique (1860-1945) designed some stunning glass doors and chandeliers for the building, a more apt venue could not be imagined. The whole effect is truly breathtaking.
The highlights of the exhibition are nothing short of spectacular. His opalescent vase ‘Bacchantes’ (1927) which changes colour with backlight and his sumptuous table centrepiece ‘Three Peacocks’ (1920) in molded clear glass and satiné with an illuminated bronze base are just two examples of the treasures on display.
During the Art Nouveau period, when Lalique was designing and making jewelry, he had begun using glass to replace gemstones. Lalique had seen the potential of this medium early on. As the era of Art Deco began, he developed original techniques for molding glass and created a succession of works that combined artistic elegance with practical utility. The purity of light shining through glass gives it a rich brilliance akin to that of precious metals, filling Lalique’s works with the art de vivre (art of living), the spirit characteristic of French decorative art.
The advent of electric lighting increased demand for glass, leading Lalique to set up his famous glassware company, which continues to this day. Starting with perfume bottles, he expanded his glassware to include richly colored vases and enthralling figurines such as his series of automobile hood ornaments, including the Automotive Mascot “Victory” (1925), which shows an expert use of mold-blown clear glass and satiné to achieve differences in opacity. It could be internally lit, drawing an elegant trail of light through the city.
[Nabeshima Houkoukai Foundation].
This exhibition also includes a special exhibit of works from the former Asaka family collection as well as vases that the Showa Emperor brought back as mementoes during his travels in Paris as Crown Prince before he ascended to the throne. Lalique became interested in Japan as a result of his work with Former Prince Asaka Residence, now the Teien, and although he never visited the country, his works were well-known in Japan before his death.
Lalique’s legacy continues to this day and not just in the techniques he developed. It is his hyper-stylisation of the beauty of the world which conveys his true genius.
Dates:
Saturday, 1 February – Tuesday, 7 April, 2020
Opening Times: 10:00-18:00 （Last admission 17:30)
March 27, 28 and April 3, 4 opening until 20:00 (Last admission at 19:30)
Closed: Second and fourth Wednesday of the month. (February 12 & 26, March 11 & 25) (However, open if the day falls on a national holiday, then closed on the following day.)
Access:
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
5-21-9, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku Tokyo, 108-0071 JAPAN
Tel. ＋81 (0)3 3443 0201 (10:00-18:00)
7 minute walk from Meguro Station on the JR Yamanote Line (East Exit) and the Tokyu Meguro Line (Main Gate).
6 minute walk from Shirokanedai Station (Exit 1) on the Toei Mita Line and Tokyo Metro.
Admission:
Adults: General ¥1,100. Advance/Group ¥880
College and vocational students: General ¥880. Advance/Group ¥700
Junior high and high school students: General ¥550. Advance/Group ¥440
Senior (65 and over): General: ¥550. Advance/Group ¥440
- Group pricing applies to groups of 20 or more
- Admission is free for elementary and younger students and for middle school students residing in or attending schools in Tokyo.
- Admission is free for visitors (and one accompanying person) with a Physical Disability Certificate, Intellectual Disability Certificate, Rehabilitation Certificate, Mental Disability Certificate, or Atomic Bomb Survivor’s Certificate.
- Admission is free for seniors (65 and above) on the third Wednesday of each month.
- Pre-purchased tickets are available online from e+: http://eplus.jp
Photos by Mac.
