Starting from February 11, ARCUB – Cultural Center of the City of Bucharest presents the exhibition „Journey to the world of Meiji stamps” which reconstructs the universe of Japanese culture from the end of the 19th century through over 150 traditional Japanese woodcuts from the George Şerban private collection. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Alexandru Constantin Chituţă and can be visited between February 11 and March 31, 2023, on the 1st floor of the Gabroveni Inn.
„Journey to the world of Meiji stamps” is an event organized by the Capital City Hall, through ARCUB – the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Bucharest and the Directorate of Culture, Education, Tourism, in partnership with the Brukenthal Museum, under the auspices of the Embassy of Japan in Romania, on the occasion of His Majesty’s Day The Emperor of Japan.
It is the first time that a Bucharest exhibition project presents a complete foray into the world of Japanese prints from the Meiji period. Compared to other exhibitions of Meiji period stamps, which only focused on one theme, „Journey to the World of Meiji Stamps” fully covers specific themes, such as emperor, theater, Bijin-ga (women beautiful) and landscapes.
The Japanese stamps exhibited at ARCUB are made available by the collector George Şerban. They are engravings in the Ukiyo-e style made in the Meiji era from the end of the 19th century. The Ukiyo-e school (lit. „images of the transient world”) explores in images the interest for the instant, for the present moment and influenced impressionist artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet or Paul Cezanne.
In addition to the 164 Japanese prints, the exhibition includes paintings on silk, porcelain dishes dating from the Meiji period, illustrated books with original Japanese woodcuts, and kimonos and clothing accessories made available by Mrs. Laura Caraman.
The „Journey to the world of Meiji stamps” exhibition at ARCUB – Hanul Gabroveni can be visited from February 11 to March 31, 2023, from Tuesday to Sunday, between 12:00 and 20:00. On Mondays, the exhibition is closed.
Presented for the first time in 2022 at the Brukenthal National Museum in Sibiu, the exhibition is part of a unique initiative in Romania, initiated by the collector George Şerban to promote the art of Japanese prints and marks the National Day of Japan, celebrated on February 23, the Day of Birth of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.
Tickets can be purchased online from arcub.ro, bilet.ro and the ARCUB ticket office (Str. Lipscani, no. 84-90).
Price: 35 lei (Category I). Pupils, students and pensioners who present themselves at the ARCUB Ticket Office with their ID cards/retirement coupons can purchase tickets at 25 lei (Category II).
We recommend you check our Bucharest art galleries page for those who love art.
