C
hina and Japan share a rich heritage shaped by the exchange of ideas, trade, war and migration. Chinese philosophy, particularly Confucianism and Buddhism, profoundly influenced Japanese thought, creating a common intellectual foundation that resonates through their art and societal values. Artistic expression across these two countries reflects a collective reverence for the natural world, and an unwavering pursuit for beauty and spirituality.
The selection of masterpieces from the Okada Museum of Art presented in this catalogue once again stands as an homage to some of the greatest pottery masters, painters and craftsmen active across East Asia during the last three millennia. The collection was carefully shaped over three decades by Kochukyo Co., Ltd, the esteemed art dealership founded by Hirota Matsushige, later known as Fukosai, that has guided many museums and private collectors since 1924. The refined sense of aesthetics and uncompromising quality associated with Kochukyo can be found throughout this superb assemblage.
The Okada collection stands at the liminal space between the classical and the modern, the monumental and the intimate, the understated and the refined, inviting viewers to reflect on the dynamic artistic dialogue and shared quest for beauty and meaning that binds the two great civilisations of East Asia.
Nicolas Chow
Chairman, Asia
Chairman and Worldwide Head of Asian Art
