Special Exhibition Behind, Beneath, and Inside: Unseen Faces of Treasured Objects

Armor, swords, Noh masks, lacquer boxes, folding screens, illustrated handscrolls, and other works presented in exhibitions are usually displayed so that visitors can see the "front" or "face" of the object.
Pieces that have been created with an abundance of care and luxury are often also ornately decorated on the back or inside and are sometimes bound together with other works. In some cases, the back of an object is marked with information essential to understanding the piece, such as the artist's signature.
This exhibition presents the backs and insides of various artworks and considers the processes and meaning of the work done on these unseen surfaces. It will also look behind the scenes of museum exhibitions to reveal how cultural properties are stored and preserved and introduce the storage techniques for the various implements passed down in the daimyo family.