Throughout history, powerful regimes have used art to reinforce their control and shore up their claims to legitimacy.
Two current exhibitions (reviewed in The Japan Times, Oct. 30) trace the relationship between artists and rulers in Europe -- one spotlighting the Versailles court of Louis XIV, king of France, the other showing paintings from the collection of the Austro-Hungarian Hapsburg Dynasty.
Meanwhile, proving that Japan is no exception is an exhibition of works by Kano Tan'yu now at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.