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TOKYO METROPOLITAN TEIEN ART MUSEUM

Lucie Rie: Elegant Vessels Fusing East and West

Dates

Saturday, July 4 - Sunday, September 13, 2026

Hours

10AM 〜 6PM

(Last admission at 5:30PM) August 7, 14, 21, 28 are opening until 9PM (Last admission at 8:30PM)
Venue
Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, Main Building & Annex
Closed

Mondays, July 21

except July 20
Exhibition admission
Admission to the museum is by timed entry system.
Tickets may be purchased in advance from the website.
Admission Tickets
Adults Group
Adults ¥1,400 ¥1,120
College students（Vocational students） ¥1,120 ¥890
High school students and Seniors (65 and over) ¥700 ¥560
Lucie Rie: Elegant Vessels Fusing East and West Images
Download the Flyer(PDF/1873.7KB)

This retrospective marks the first large-scale exhibition in Japan in nearly ten years for Lucie Rie (1902-1995), one of the most prominent British ceramic artists of the twentieth century.
Born in Vienna, Austria, Rie first came across a potter’s wheel as a student at Kunstgewerbeschule in Vienna—an enchanting meeting of which inspired her to pursue a path in ceramics. Despite having already established herself as an artist, she was forced into exile in 1938 as a result of war and moved her pottery practice to London. Her works, conveying both delicacy and strength, distinguished by their graceful forms born from the potter’s wheel, original patterns created through inlay and sgraffito, and the rich colors produced by her use of glazes, have continued to harbor an enduring appeal.

This exhibition also brings together works by artists with whom Rie had connections, including Josef Hoffmann, whom she encountered in Vienna, and Bernard Leach and Hans Coper, whom she met during her time in London, and further reexamines the relationship between these artists and East Asian ceramics, particularly those from Japan. From her early years to her prime, through shedding light on Rie’s works and the origins of her creations while also examining the people, things, and places she encountered, as well as the history that underlies her career, this exhibition provides viewers with an opportunity to better understand the artist’s convictions.

■The three types of flyers can be downloaded here.
A (PDF 1,874KB), B (PDF 2,026KB), C (PDF 1,778KB)

１．A Gathering of Precious Lucie Rie Works from Japan

In Japan, the first full-fledged introduction to Rie’s work was held at Sogetsu Kaikan in 1989, and her works have continued to gain widespread popularity following large-scale exhibitions in 2010 and 2015. This exhibition brings together Lucie Rie’s works from across Japan, including those from the Iuchi Collection deposited at the National Crafts Museum (Kanazawa). We welcome visitors to take this opportunity to view Rie’s first retrospective exhibition in Japan in nearly ten years.

２．Introducing Works by Artists with Whom Lucie Rie was Connected

This exhibition also brings together works by artists with whom Rie had connections, including Josef Hoffmann, whom she encountered in Vienna, and Bernard Leach, Hans Coper, and Hamada Shoji, whom she met during her time in the UK. Lucie Rie’s works, created against a backdrop that fuses Eastern and Western influences, are explored through the history that underlies her career and the people she encountered during her lifetime.

３．Immersing in the World of Lucie Rie’s Work in the Unique Exhibition Spaces of the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

The Main Building of the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, a spectacular feat of Art Deco design, was completed in 1933 as the Residence of Prince Asaka. In this residential space that brings out the inherent charm of Lucie Rie’s vessels, we invite visitors to enjoy the dialogue between the delicate and elegant world of the artist’s work and the architecture of the Former Residence of Prince Asaka.

  • Lucie Rie, Blue Glazed Bowl, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

    Lucie Rie, Blue Glazed Bowl, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

  • Lucie Rie, Bowl with Volcanic Glaze, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

    Lucie Rie, Bowl with Volcanic Glaze, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

  • Lucie Rie, Footed Bowl with Radiating Sgraffito with Manganese, c. 1970, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Arrow Art Works

    ルーシー・リー《マンガン釉線文鉢》1970年頃 井内コレクション（国立工芸館寄託） 撮影：品野 塁

  • Lucie Rie, Bowl, c. 1926, Private Collection Photo: Nomura Tomoya

    Lucie Rie, Bowl, c. 1926, Private Collection Photo: Nomura Tomoya

  • Felice [Lizzi] RIX-UENO (decoration) / Josef HOFFMANN (shape), Liqueur Glasses, 1929 [1917 (shape) / 1929 (decoration)], The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

    Felice [Lizzi] RIX-UENO (decoration) / Josef HOFFMANN (shape), Liqueur Glasses, 1929 [1917 (shape) / 1929 (decoration)], The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

  • Lucie Rie, Buttons, 1940-50's, Paramita Museum, OKADA cultural foundation

    Lucie Rie, Buttons, 1940-50's, Paramita Museum, OKADA cultural foundation

  • Lucie Rie, Coffee Set, Brown Glaze, c. 1960, National Crafts Museum Photo: S&T PHOTO

    Lucie Rie, Coffee Set, Brown Glaze, c. 1960, National Crafts Museum Photo: S&T PHOTO

  • Hans Coper, Cycladic Arrow Form, 1972, National Crafts Museum Photo: Arrow Art Works

    Hans Coper, Cycladic Arrow Form, 1972, National Crafts Museum Photo: Arrow Art Works

  • Lucie Rie, Fluted Vase with Flaring Neck with White Pitted Glaze, c. 1976, National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

    Lucie Rie, Fluted Vase with Flaring Neck with White Pitted Glaze, c. 1976, National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

  • Lucie Rie, White Glazed Bowl Decorated with Pink Line, c. 1984, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Nomura Tomoya

    Lucie Rie, White Glazed Bowl Decorated with Pink Line, c. 1984, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Nomura Tomoya

  • Lucie Rie, Marbled Vase, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

    Lucie Rie, Marbled Vase, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

  • Lucie Rie, Footed Bowl with Inlaid Pink Horizontal Circles with Bronze Running Rim, c. 1975-79, National Crafts Museum Photo: Arrow Art Works

    Lucie Rie, Footed Bowl with Inlaid Pink Horizontal Circles with Bronze Running Rim, c. 1975-79, National Crafts Museum Photo: Arrow Art Works

  • Lucie Rie, Bronze Glazed Vase, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

    Lucie Rie, Bronze Glazed Vase, c. 1980, Iuchi Collection, deposited at the National Crafts Museum Photo: Shinano Rui

Exhibition Title
Lucie Rie: Elegant Vessels Fusing East and West
Dates
Saturday, July 4 - Sunday, September 13, 2026
Venue

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum（Main Building & Annex）
5-21-9, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hello Dial operator service 050-5541-8600

Closed

Mondays, July 21

except July 20
Hours
10:00 - 18:00 (Last admission at 5:30PM)
  • August 7, 14, 21, 28 are opening until 9PM (Last admission at 8:30PM)
Exhibition admission
Admission to the museum is by timed entry system.
Tickets may be purchased in advance from the website.
Adults ¥1,400 （¥1,120）
College students ¥1,120 （¥890）
High school students and Seniors (65 and over) ¥700 （¥560）

  1. Figures in parentheses are group admission fees (for groups of 20 or more)

  2. Admission is free for elementary and younger students and for middle school students.

  3. Admission is free for visitors (and two accompanying persons) with a Physical Disability Certificate, Intellectual Disability Certificate, Rehabilitation Certificate, Mental Disability Certificate, or Atomic Bomb Survivor’s Certificate.

  4. Admission is free for teacher-led educational visits by students from primary, middle, and high schools in Tokyo.

  5. Admission is free for seniors (65 and above) on the third Wednesday of each month.

Organized by
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, The Tokyo Shimbun
With the planning cooperation with
National Crafts Museum
With the special cooperation with
Iuchi Collection, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
With the sponsorship of
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP)
With the annual co-sponsorship of
Toda Corporation, Bloomberg

  • ＜Ishikawa＞ National Crafts Museum (Dates: September 9 - November 24, 2025) [Exhibition Closed]
  • ＜Mie＞ Mie Prefectural Art Museum (Dates: July 4 - September 13, 2026)
  • ＜Osaka＞ ABENO HARUKAS Art Museum (Dates: December 26, 2026 - March 7, 2027)

Photography is allowed in both the Main Building and the Annex during this exhibition (excluding certain artworks, video, and displays).
Please follow the rules below and listen to the instructions of staff when taking photos.

  1. Please refrain from any activity that may disturb others.
  2. Please do not use flash, reflectors, tripods, selfie sticks, or telephoto lenses.
  3. Staff may ask you to refrain from taking photographs due to safety concerns.
  4. Please refrain from taking video.
  5. To avoid the risk of dropping equipment or damaging objects, please do not take photographs from above objects, or lean your body when taking photographs.
  6. Photography is permitted for personal, non-commercial use only. Commercial photography requires advance application.
  7. Please be aware that posting photos on social networking sites may violate the portrait rights of other visitors.
  8. Please refrain from taking photographs for portrait purposes.
  9. Actions that could damage artworks or the building are prohibited.

“Lucie Rie: Fusing East and West”

The supervisor of the exhibition will discuss Lucie Rie’s life and work, and her connection to East Asian ceramics.

Speaker｜Iwai Mieko (Chief Curator, National Crafts Museum; Exhibition Supervisor)
Date and time｜Saturday, July 18, 2026, 2PM- (approximately 60 minutes)
Venue｜Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (Annex, Gallery 2)
Admission｜Free (a ticket for the exhibition valid on that date is required)
Capacity｜80 persons (advance application required. In the event of a large number of applications, a lottery will be conducted)
※Registration will be available via the museum website from Thursday, June 18, 2026.

“Lucie Rie: Fusing East and West”

Mini Lecture by the Exhibition Curator

The curator in charge of the exhibition will introduce key points for enjoying the exhibition and works, aimed at those encountering Lucie Rie’s art for the first time and those wishing to gain a quick overview of the exhibition and its highlights.

Speaker｜Katsuta Kotoe (Curator, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum)
Dates and times｜Friday, July 31, 2026, 4PM- / Saturday, August 8, 2026, 2PM- (approximately 30 minutes per session)
Venue｜Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (Annex, Gallery 2)
Admission｜Free (a ticket for the exhibition valid on that date is required)
Capacity｜80 persons (advance application required. In the event of a large number of applications, a lottery will be conducted)
※Registration will be available via the museum website from Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

Mini Lecture by the Exhibition Curator

“Making Ceramic Buttons”

Participants are invited to create their own original buttons inspired by Lucie Rie’s ceramic buttons.

Instructor｜Okazaki Yuko (ceramic artist)
Date and times｜Saturday, August 22, 2026, 11:30AM- and 2:30PM- (approximately 90 minutes per session)
Venue｜Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (Annex, Gallery 2)
Admission｜Free (a ticket for the exhibition valid on that date is required)
Target age｜For persons of upper elementary school age and above
Capacity｜Around 20 persons per session (advance registration required. In the event of a large number of applications, a lottery will be conducted)
※Registration will be available via the museum website from Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
※The buttons made during the workshop will be posted to participants at a later date.

“Making Ceramic Buttons”

“SAWA-KAI: Tactile & Conversation Program”

An event where participants are invited to share their thoughts and impressions inspired by viewing and engaging with the exhibited artworks and museum’s architecture. Please join us in the Kōka Teahouse, while appreciating tea bowls including one by Lucie Rie, to talk about the various things that came to mind.

Organized by｜Handa Kozue (part-time lecturer, Meiji Gakuin University)
Date and time｜Sunday, July 12, 2026
Morning session: 10:30AM-12:30PM / Afternoon session: 2:30PM-4:30PM
Venue｜Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, Kōka Teahouse
Admission｜Free (a ticket for the exhibition valid on that date is required)
Target age｜For persons of middle school age and above
Capacity｜Around 6 persons per session (advance registration required. In the event of a large number of applications, a lottery will be conducted)
※Registration will be available via the museum website from Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

“SAWA-KAI: Tactile & Conversation Program”

G(ALL)ERY Day: Leisurely Art Appreciation Day

Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 10AM – 6PM (Last admission at 5:30PM)

More Details

GALLERY Day: Leisurely Art Appreciation Day

G(ALL)ERY Day: Baby Hours

Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 10AM – 3PM (Strollers permitted in the Main Building during these hours)

More Details

G(ALL)ERY Day: Baby Hours