For around 40 years, U.S. ophthalmologist Kurt A. Gitter and his wife Alice Rae Yelen collected high-quality Japanese artworks. Gitter was interested in the simplicity and purity he saw in Japanese art and first acquired sumi ink Zen-ga (Zen artwork) pieces, which have since become the core of the collection.
Now the collection has expanded to include bunjin-ga (literati painting), ukiyo-e (woodblock print), and Rimpa decorative style paintings. Highlights of this show include some masterpieces from the Edo Period (1603-1867) by world-famous masters such as Jakuchu Ito, Sotatsu Tawaraya and Hoitsu Sakai.
This show presents 107 outstanding works selected from the Gitter-Yelen Collection; till Oct. 16.
The Museum of Kyoto; (075) 222-0888; Sanjo Takakura, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto; 3-min. walk east of Karasuma Oike (Exit 5), Tozai or Karasuma lines. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Fri., till 7:30 p.m.) ¥1,100. Closed Mon.; open holidays and closed the following day. www.bunpaku.or.jp.
