Central Romania: Sibiu’s Brukenthal Museum to hold exhibit of Japanese prints and samurai statues

The National Brukenthal Museum in Sibiu will exhibit, for the first time in Romania, Japanese prints and samurai statues on February 21, as part of an event celebrating the Emperor of Japan's Day.

"In recent years, the Emperor of Japan's Day was celebrated in Romania with exhibitions of Japanese prints. We are doing this again this year in Sibiu by celebrating the Emperor of Japan's Day with this exhibition premiere - Japanese prints and Samurai statues. We also have the distinct honor of having His Excellency Mr. Katae Takashi, the ambassador of Japan to Romania since January 2024, participate in this event," museum manager Alexandru Chituță wrote on Facebook.

According to the manager, this exhibition project is "the most extensive in recent years in our country, promoting Japanese printmaking."

"[...] Since 2018, the collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Romania, FITS, and the private collection of lawyer George Șerban has led to the organization of 17 exhibitions of Japanese prints in Romania. They were organized in Sibiu, Bucharest, Brașov, Timișoara, Iași, Galați, Oradea, Suceava, and other cities in Romania, attracting an impressive number of 450,000 visitors. Curated by myself, some thematic exhibitions with Japanese prints were organized for the first time in Romania and Eastern Europe: Japanese prints from the Meiji period, Japanese prints from the Edo period with themes of Kabuki, Bijin Ga, Landscapes, Shunga, and history," Chituță mentioned.

The samurai “dominated Japanese politics, economy, and social policies between the 12th and 19th centuries. Known as bushi or samurai, these warriors, who first appeared in historical records in the 10th century, initially came to power through their martial prowess - they were experts in archery, swordsmanship, and horseback riding. The demands of the battlefield inspired these men to value the virtues of courage and loyalty and to be acutely aware of life's fragility,” he also said.

The exhibition "SAMURAI. Legends of Japan" will open on February 21, at the National Brukenthal Museum, curated by manager Alexandru Chituță. The collector, lawyer George Șerban, will also be present at the event.

(Photo source: Muzeul National Brukenthal on Facebook)