11 December, 2010 – 16 January, 2011
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum utilizes the residence of the former Prince Asaka constructed in 1933 as a museum. A motive for the construction of this unprecedented structure known as “The Residence of Art Deco” in Japan is that Prince Yasuhiko Asaka and Princess Nobuko, the owners of the residence, had some impressive stays in Paris over several years when the Art Deco style was at the height of its prosperity.
During their stay in Paris for over two and half years, Prince Yasuhiko and Princess Nobuko enthusiastically visited many places in France and Europe, acquiring firsthand experience about state-of-the-art architecture, fashion, and arts. It is also known that they visited the Exposition Internationale des Arts decoratifs et industriels modernes held in Paris in 1925, in which they were inspired by French artists such as René Lalique and Henri Rapin, who were later involved in the decoration of the residence.
The exhibition aimed to introduce the house of Prince Asaka which is open to the public for a limited time. The exhibition also included the section, “The Grand Tour of Prince Asaka”, where you could enjoy a vicarious experience through photos, video footage, picture postcards sent to Japan, and some items brought back by Prince and Princess Asaka.