One of the most controversial artists of the 20th century, Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, best known as Balthus (1908-2001), spent his life painting portraits of young girls. For the first time since his death, an exhibition of his work — including his masterpieces "Thésèse dreaming" and "Alice in the mirror" — will be held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. In cooperation with his Japanese wife Setsuko, his workshop in Rossiniere Switzerland, where he spent his final years, will be reproduced for this exhibition, giving visitors the chance to discover what kind of environment and what kind of tools the artist used to produce his work; April 19-June 22.
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum; 8-36 Ueno Koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo. Ueno Stn. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Fri. till 8 p.m.). ¥1,600. Closed Mon. 03-5777-8600; www.balthus2014.jp
