September 19, 2009- November 23, 2009

Special Exhibition

• Vision and Reminiscence of Edo
  - Masterpieces from the Takahashi Seiichiro Collection of Ukiyo-e Prints

Term I : September 19- October 12

Term II : October 14 - November 1

Term III : November 3 - November 23

Place: Mitsui Memorial Museum

<Hosted by Mitsui Memorial Museum, Keio University, Nikkei Inc. >

The museum moved from Nakano-ku to Nihonbashi in October 2005 and was reopened under the new name of Mitsui Memorial Museum. In the four years since then, we have managed to welcome more than 600,000 visitors. This demonstrates the significance of the museum's new location in central Tokyo at Nihonbashi. As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of Keio University, we have therefore decided to hold a special exhibition called "Vision and Reminiscence of Edo - Masterpieces from the Takahashi Seiichiro Collection of Ukiyo-e Prints" that displays carefully selected ukiyo-e prints owned by the university.

These ukiyo-e prints come from a valuable collection that was built up over a lifetime by Seiichiro Takahashi, professor at Keio University and internationally renowned for his research in mercantilist economics. After the Second World War, Takahashi held many important posts in the domains of education and culture, such as Acting President of Keio University, Minister of Education and Executive Director of the Tokyo National Museum. In 1965 he was also appointed as director of the Mitsui Bunko (Mitsui Archives), a non-profit organisation established as a research institute and archive for social economic history.

After Takahashi's death, the major works from his collection were transferred to Keio University. Instead of gathering works from specific artists, the current collection provides a systematic overview of the history of ukiyo-e prints. A general collector with the mindset of a researche, Takahashi placed particular importance on a yearning for the Edo period and its culture. We have therefore created a nostalgic exhibition that focuses on the Vision and Reminiscence of Edo.

The connection with the Mitsui family is provided by Baron Takaharu Mitsui, the tenth head of the Minamike Mitsui who built the foundations for the Mitsui Memorial Museum's stamp collection and who was taught by Seiichiro Takahashi at Keio University. Takahashi spent a lot of time at the Ojosanso Villa in Oiso where the Mitsui family also had the Jozanso Villa. When Joan, a National Treasure tea ceremony room from this villa, was relocated to Inuyama in Aichi Prefecture, Takahashi served as Chairman of the Joan Preservation Association. The current museum contains a display case that recreates the inside of the Joan room. This exhibit serves as a physical reminder of the connection between Takahashi and the Mitsui family.