Sketches are in themselves important clues to an artist's inner struggles and show the possible changes to their original intent in a final work. It is for such reason that Tanabe City Museum of Art takes good care of preparatory sketches, seeing them a way to deepen visitors' understanding of the truth behind what are publicly known as masterpieces. One featured artist is Ryumon Yasuda (1891-1965), who traveled to the United States and Europe as he neared the age of 30. He visited the studio of French artist Aristide Maillol, whose single-minded pursuit in depicting voluptuous female nudes is said to have greatly galvanized Yasuda to further explore his lifelong theme of maternal affection; Nov.17-Dec. 16
Tanabe City Museum of Art; (0739) 24-3770; 24-43 Takinaicho, Tanabe-shi, Wakayama; Kiitanabe Station, JR Line. 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ¥250. Closed Mon., March 21. www.city.tanabe.lg.jp/bijutsukan/