On 25 May, ASEF in partnership with the Embassies of Poland and Japan in Italy and Arthemisia, organised a special guided tour and reception of the exhibition “Hokusai-The Great Master of Japanese Art”. Ms Valentina Riccardi, Director of ASEF’s Cultural Department, attended the event together with several embassy representatives of ASEF member countries accredited in Rome. The event was held at Palazzo Bonaparte, where the exhibition is held from 27 March to 29 June.
This event began with a special guided tour led by Ms Beata Romanowicz, Head Curator of the Far Eastern Art Department at the National Museum in Krakow, Poland. With over 35 years’ experience in promoting Japanese culture overseas, Ms Romanowicz is also a former participant in the ASEF’s programme on museum. The exhibition featured 200 works, primarily ukiyo-e works by Hokusai, from the collection of the National Museum in Krakow. Ms Romanowicz explained various elements of Japanese culture observed in Hokusai’s artworks to participants, as well as the stories behind individual pieces and Hokusai’s unique painting techniques, such as his use of perspective for expressing depth and his distinctive colour scheme. The Polish curator also emphasized that most of the exhibited artworks were purchased by the Polish collector Mr Feliks Jasieński, who experienced a period when his homeland, Poland, was partitioned and ruled by neighbouring countries. Ms Romanowicz explained that he believed that ukiyo-e served as a wonderful example of cultural and artistic works which helped people to maintain their country’s identity and inspire patriotism.
After the tour, the organisers and special guests gave their remarks. Ms Valentina Riccardi , Director of the Culture Department of ASEF, explained that this exhibition truly embodies the long-standing historical exchanges between the two regions, which have different histories and cultures. She also emphasised that cultural and personal exchanges can play an important role in promoting mutual understanding between Asia and Europe. Mr Yuji Hayashi, Chargé d’Affairs of the Embassy of Japan in Italy, emphasized that, while Hokusai’s work is one of the best-known images in the history of Japanese art and may evoke a sense of Japanese exoticism, these works themselves were made possible by the cultural and commercial exchanges between Asia and Europe.
Mr Ryszard Schnepf, Ambassador of Poland in Italy, stated that ukiyo-e works hold special meaning for the Polish people, who experienced a period when their country’s name “disappeared” from the map, and that he is very proud of being able to exhibit in Rome the collection of National Museum in Krakow. Mr Federico Mollicone, Chairman of the Culture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Italian Parliament, referred to the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan held last year in Japan and the importance of promoting cultural diplomacy to connect Europe and Asia.
This exhibition, held at Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome until 29 June, symbolising the long-standing cultural exchange between Asia and Europe. The event served as an opportunity to reaffirm the importance that culture and art have in bringing people from different regions and countries together. The event concluded with a reception, which encouraged networking and the exchange of ideas among participants.
