The National Museum of Western Art opened in 1959 as the only museum in Japan dedicated to Western artworks. Since its establishment, it has actively continued to collect, preserve and display Western works, becoming the major driving force behind today's widespread presence of European art in Japan.
The museum's massive collection has helped give the public a better understanding of foreign art and allowed researchers to understand it on a deeper level. Now a selection from the museum's collection will be on display at Shimane Prefecture's Iwami Art Museum. The focus is on French contemporary artists and includes works by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Aristide Maillol; Dec. 22-Feb. 18.
Iwami Art Museum; (0856) 31-1860; 5-15 Ariake-cho, Masuda, Shimane; Masuda Station, JR Line. 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. ¥1,000. Closed Tue., Dec. 28-Jan. 1. www.grandtoit.jp.
