Imagine an art museum that had the paintings of artists from all the eras of history, from the mosaic artists of lost Pompei to the Pop Art of Andy Warhol... Imagine that all the famous names were represented there - Botticelli, da Vinci, Constable, Vermeer, Monet, Van Gogh, Pollock, Picasso...
Well, they've done it in Japan! When I first heard about Otsuka Museum in Naruto, Shikoku, it seemed like a bizarre idea to display copies of famous artworks. However I went there recently on the recommendation of a good friend who often visits art museums. Even though the artworks are only copies, it was an amazing experience. I will probably never get to see most of those original paintings, but to stand before life-size framed copies was totally different than looking at art books or prints.
The paintings are reproduced on ceramic tile board, so the color and texture is closer to that of actual paint. Some larger works were divided into several panels. This was a shame because it did diminish their impact, but even so the fact that they were reproduced in the actual size of the original paintings meant that you could experience the image much more closely to how the artist intended. I gained a new appreciation for paintings I already loved, and also discovered many works and artists I did not know of previously.
If you're in Japan and you love art, I highly recommend Otsuka Museum!
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