About us
Concept
Designed under the concept of "a space where the aesthetics of the East and West in ancient and modern times resonate with each other", the Marubeni Gallery is a facility where Marubeni's art collection, consisting of the three main categories of textiles, designs for textiles, and paintings, is on display to the public. Since its founding, Marubeni has pursued the aesthetic beauty of Japan through its textile business. Later, as the company expanded its business internationally, it also played a role in introducing western aesthetics to Japan. In addition to the history of Marubeni, the gallery showcases the aesthetic beauty of both East and West through its collection.
Museum Overview
- Museum Name:
- Marubeni Gallery
- Director:
- Tsutomu Sugiura
- Address:
- 3F Marubeni Tokyo Head Office 4-2, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8088,Japan
- Opening date:
- November 1, 2021
About the Marubeni Gallery Logo
Itoh Chubei first began business trips to sell linen cloth in 1858. On his first trip, after traveling down the Yodo River from Kyoto to Osaka, he went to Senshu and Kishu. Kosode with Towboats on the Yodo River depicts the scenery of the Yodo River, which Itoh also passed through, and is a priceless garment that elicits imagery surrounding the spirit of Marubeni's founding.
The Marubeni Gallery’s logo was designed based on the motif of the boatman, the ship, and the flow of water depicted on this kosode. The gentle connection between the two figures expresses the concept of the Marubeni Gallery, "a space where the aesthetics of the East and West in ancient and modern times resonate with each other," and the connection between Marubeni, society, and art and culture. The two main colors used in this kosode are navy blue, arranged based on the color of nando (a type of small sleeve), and gold, inspired by the hair color of Sandro Botticelli's La Bella Simonetta, one of the Marubeni Gallery’s most famous paintings. Both of these colors also represent the concept of the gallery.
Kosode with Towboats on the Yodo RiverEdo Period (second half of the 18th century), Design attributed to Katsukawa Shunsho