Yamaguchi Kayo (1899–1984) attended Kyoto City Specialized School for Painting while studying under Nishimura Goun (1877–1938). He became known mainly for works that used animals as the subject. After Nishimura died, he revived Shinchosha, a private painting school and research group, and became one of the most well-known artists to represent Kyoto’s art world. This exhibition lets visitors walk through many of Yamaguchi’s works from his early years to his final days, particularly focusing on three of his representative works from our collection. This retrospective exhibition brings Yamaguchi’s works, who had a deep connection with Kyoto, back to Tokyo for the first time in 27 years.

This marks the first major exhibition in Japan in approximately 30 years of the work of Eugène Boudin (1824-1898), known as the "Precursor of Impressionism." Boudin captured skies, clouds, seascapes, and herds of cattle with fresh colors and light, lively brushwork. His paintings brilliantly portray the light and atmosphere of various locales, including his native Normandy in northern France. Boudin placed great emphasis on working outdoors, en plein air, confronting the fleeting "moments" of ever-changing natural phenomena. This approach to painting opened the eyes of the young Claude Monet（1840-1926） and would eventually lead to the birth of Impressionism.
While Boudin is often discussed in relation to his seascapes depicting maritime scenes, his appeal extends far beyond this genre alone. This exhibition comprises approximately 100 works, primarily oil paintings, drawings, pastels, and prints. By focusing on the figures, architecture, and other subjects Boudin depicted, the exhibition reexamines, from a fresh perspective, the appeal of this artist who made significant contributions to the development of modern French landscape painting.

This will be the 14th exhibition of works submitted for this contemporary painting competi­tion. As a "gateway to success for new and emerging artists regardless of age or affiliation", the exhibition will feature works selected from submissions nationwide. An Audience Award will also be presented based on votes submitted by exhibition visitors. This time, we will also concurrently hold a special exhibition featuring new and recent works by artists who won grand prix and excellence awards at the previous exhibition. Enjoy works that capture the sensibilities of our times through a variety of techniques and motifs.

The Sompo Museum of Art opened in Shinjuku in July 1976. To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we will hold an exhibition themed on Shinjuku.
A discussion on the history of modern Japanese art would not be complete without mention of Shinjuku of Tokyo. Up-and-coming artists began to gather in Shinjuku in the late Meiji period, and the artists who lived there in turn attracted even more artists to the area.
This influx of artists turned Shinjuku into a major center of modern art. This exhibition represents the first attempt by an art museum in Shinjuku to trace the trajectory of artists associated with the neighborhood, featuring works created over the course of roughly half a century by artists like Nakamura Tsune, Saeki Yuzo, Matsumoto Shunsuke, and Miyawaki Aiko.