Opening, Turning, Circulating: Beautiful Printing from the Printing Museum Collection

The Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art is pleased to announce the exhibition 'Opening, Turning, Circulating: Beautiful Printing from the Printing Museum Collection,' which will run from Saturday, June 27 to Sunday, September 6, 2026.

This exhibition unravels the history of printing from various perspectives and focuses on its beauty. We will introduce carefully selected valuable printed materials from the Printing Museum collection, created in various eras and regions by thinkers, writers, designers, and artisans utilizing the cutting-edge technology of their time. We will explore the cultural background and techniques hidden in printed materials, presenting the profound world of how printing has reflected the era and shaped culture.

To mark its hosting in Chiba, the exhibition will display works widely related to the sea and ships in connection with Chiba's climate. Highlights include the 'Koushin 37th Year of Meiji Calendar' designed by Chu Asai, a painter associated with Chiba Prefecture who was a close friend of Tatsutaro Kawai, the first president of Toppan Printing (the predecessor of TOPPAN, which operates the Printing Museum).

[Exhibition Composition] 1. Western Printing - The Spread of Knowledge, the Pinnacle of Beauty The invention of typography by Johannes Gutenberg brought a major transformation to European society. Books on religion, science, philosophy, and politics emerged, and knowledge and information spread to a wider audience, not just a select ruling class. The popularization of printing technology greatly altered the course of history, such as by accelerating the Protestant Reformation. This section focuses on the role printing played as a medium for sharing the worlds of religion and scholarship with many people.

2. Japanese Printing - The World of Literature, the Essence of Technique Printing in Japan blossomed from the emergence of 'Hyakumanto Darani' (One Million Pagodas and Dharani Prayers), through the Heian and Muromachi periods, into the Edo period. Hand-copied manuscripts were extremely expensive, making them difficult for the general public to acquire. However, as printing technology spread during the Edo period, printed materials for the general public became widely circulated in various genres, including stories and academic works. Furthermore, during the late Edo and Meiji periods, the introduction of Western-style printing methods led to a significant leap in printing technology. This section introduces representative printed materials essential to narrating the history of printing in Japan.

3. Design and Printing - Expanding Vision, New Forms This section reconsiders the Printing Museum's collection from the perspective of 'design.' From the 19th century onwards, new technologies emerged to replace typography, which had long been mainstream in Europe. This enabled more efficient mass printing and gave rise to delicate and beautiful posters using lithography. Both domestically and internationally, posters with vibrant colors and excellent designs were produced one after another, greatly expanding the expression of printed materials. This section introduces printed materials that allow visitors to enjoy the appeal of diverse designs, from maps and posters to books, including crepe paper books.

[Interactive Exhibit] Digital Installation 'Walking Through the Pages' This is a digital installation where visitors can freely walk around and appreciate carefully selected scenes projected onto a screen. You can experience the details, colors, and the beauty of printing techniques up close, as if wandering through the world of a book.

Collection-related Exhibition 'Chu Asai - Work in Printed Materials and Design' Known as a Western-style painter, Chu Asai, who has ties to Chiba Prefecture, was actually also involved in printed materials such as textbooks, magazines, and books, and further created many designs under the influence of Art Nouveau. In conjunction with this exhibition, we will introduce works related to printed materials and designs that Chu Asai was involved in, drawn from the Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art's collection.

Dates, Venue, Closed Days, Hours, Admission Fee: Subject to the main 'Opening, Turning, Circulating: Beautiful Printing from the Printing Museum Collection' exhibition.

[Related Event] (1) Lecture: 'The History of Printing as Seen from the Printing Museum Collection' Lecturer: Yoko Shiki (Curator, Printing Museum) Date and Time: Saturday, July 11, 14:00 - 15:30 Venue: Auditorium Admission: Free Capacity: 180 people Application Method: Via the dedicated application form starting from 10:00 on Saturday, June 27.