Journey along the Kisokaido road: our photos from the Musée Cernuschi exhibition - extensions

A retrospective of Japanese prints and their depiction of the Kisokaido road network! That's what Musée Cernuschi is inviting Japanese art lovers to discover with its new exhibition, Journey on the Kisokaido Road. From Hiroshige to Kuniyoshi, on view until August 8, 2021.

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The exhibition, which comes just a few months after the museum reopened for renovations, plunges us into the heart of the Kisokaido Road... And for those curious about its history, here's a brief summary: this is one of the five arteries of the road network created in Japan during the Tokugawa era (1603-1868). It linked Edo, where the shogun resided, and Kyoto, the seat of the emperor.

Unlike the Tokaido Road, which reached"the old capital in 53 stops along the coast", the Kisokaido, with its 69 stages, traversed"the mountainous interior, following a longer, but very spectacular route". This route was the subject of numerous prints by artists such as Eisen and Hiroshige, as well as Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, who took up this artistic genre and subject after the immense success of the prints by the first two. In their creations, Kunisada and Kuniyoshi take"a personal approach to the same theme, drawing inspiration from Kabuki plays and Japanese folk legends".

Two complete Kisokaido series are exhibited for the occasion. The first, by Eisen and Hiroshige, comes from the Leskowicz collection and is considered"one of the finest in the world for the quality of the print and the freshness of the colors". The second, by Kuniyoshi, belongs to the Cernushi collection and is on show for the very first time. There is also a fine selection of prints by Kunisada from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Take the time to read the cartouches accompanying the magnificent works on display: some tell the stories and legends behind the images. A pleasant introduction to Japanese culture and folklore. The objets d'art on display are also important: if you know how to look for them, you'll easily find them in the many paintings on display at the Musée Cernuschi.

A beautiful, rich exhibition, with a playful scenography, in a brand-new museum. Don't miss this opportunity to discover the history of roads in Japan and their representation in art... Shall we go, friends?