In June 2018, UMMA [University of Michigan Museum of Art] welcomed Princess Akiko of Japan and a research group from Gakushuin University. As part of a project to study Japanese art collections and their histories in American institutions, they visited cultural organizations in Southeast Michigan, including UMMA and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
[…] A specialist in the history of Japanese art collecting overseas, Princess Akiko was particularly interested in the impact on local museums of the circle of Japanese art collectors in the greater Detroit area active in the early twentieth century. […]
[…] Princess Akiko presented, "One British and Three American Collectors: Collecting Japanese Paintings from the 19th Century to the Present." She recounted the fascinating histories of several major collectors of Japanese art, starting with William Anderson (1842-1900), who wrote one of the first books on Japanese painting and who amassed the pieces that formed the core of the British Museum's collection of Japanese art. She contrasted Anderson with Ernest Fenollosa (1853-1908), another early scholar of Japanese art history from whom the Museum of Fine Arts Boston received many of its most notable Japanese artworks. […]
At lunch [on June 12], Princess Akiko received a diverse group of dignitaries, including the Consul-General of Japan in Detroit, leaders of the Japanese business community, and other cultural lights of the region. In the afternoon, she viewed the galleries and collections.
On June 13th, the princess graced Ann Arbor with a visit, spending the morning at UMMA with colleagues from Gakushûin University (Tokyo). […] Between intensive viewing sessions of the UMMA collection, the group broke for lunch with the princess, during which five students presented some of their dissertation research. In addition […], three PhD candidates from UM discussed their work […] The conversation was spirited, punctuated by many insightful comments from Princess Akiko, Professor Sano, and the other distinguished scholars who attended.
Princess Akiko concluded the day with a visit to CJS itself. In a meeting with Professor Tsutsui and CJS staff, Princess Akiko and Professor Ito examined photographs and documents showcasing the history of Japanese students in Ann Arbor, the U-M Army Intensive Japanese Language School, and the early history of the Center for Japanese Studies. While reviewing photographs of a 1952 Christmas party at the CJS Okayama Field Station, Princess Akiko noted that none other than Her Imperial Highness Princess Atsuko (the current Emperor’s older sister) was among the attendees.
In two very full days, Princess Akiko demonstrated the great potential of art and scholarship to transcend cultural, linguistic, and national boundaries. […]