Cultural properties have been protected by various restoration and preservation techniques available at the time and survived the damage caused by natural disasters or the simple deterioration over time. It is not easy, however, to make them endure further over time and to pass them on to the next generation.
The Sumitomo Foundation which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2021 has been funding over 1,000 projects for restoration and preservation of cultural properties domestically and internationally. To commemorate this occasion, selected works which had benefited from the fund will be exhibited at four locations simultaneously: the Tokyo National Museum, the Kyushu National Museum, Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum (Kyoto) and Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum, Tokyo (Tokyo).
Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum, Tokyo presents approximately 50* paintings and craftworks which had been restored recently with traditional and latest scientific techniques, including ones designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. This exhibition introduces the front line of the effort of protecting beauty, and provides an outstanding opportunity to learn about the creation techniques which were discovered through the process and the true appearance of the revived cultural assets.
*There is a rotation of the exhibits during the session.