The first retrospective exhibition in Japan of collected works by artists Henri Le Sidaner (1862-1939) and Henri Martin (1860-1943), who flourished in France from the end of the 19th century to the early 20th century. These two artists established their own styles of painting by incorporating contemporary expression techniques such as Neo-Impressionism and Symbolism, while building on Impressionism. They depicted fantastic themes, idyllic landscapes, and scenes of people close to them and their lives, with intimate emotions. Le Sidaner and Martin were core members of the generation that would be called “the last impressionists,” and while they were close friends, they each sought to express light in their art in ways that were unique to their local regions. For example, Le Sidaner would focus on the soft, hazy light peculiar to northern France, while Martin drew the dazzling light of southern France. This exhibition will trace the path of these two artists who developed their own unique painting world through the Belle Époque period, through around 75 oil paintings, drawings and lithographs.

This is the 10th exhibition of works submitted for the contemporary painting competition. As a "gateway to success" for new and emerging artists, regardless of age or affiliation, this exhibition features approximately 70 works selected from pieces submitted by artists across Japan (of which 9 are award-winning works). Enjoy these works that capture the sensibilities of their time through various techniques and motifs. These are works of true power, which can potentially become world-class pieces of art in the future. An audience award will also be presented based on votes submitted by visitors.

This exhibition brings together approximately 100 of the recent and new works of 12 artists who received the Grand Prix or Excellent Work Awards in the three years from 2019 to 2021. In addition, this exhibition displays the works that were awarded the Grand Prix and became works of our permanent collection. By doing so, this exhibition reveals the true value of the works which capture the essence of the times, and explores how the paintings of the artists have evolved over time.