The Kamakura Otani Memorial Art Museum has been founded in the memory of Yoneichi Otani, former Chairman of the Hotel New Otani and the New Otani Art Museum, by his family and their supporters.
Yoneichi's love for art was awakened when he inherited a collection of Japanese-Style Painting from his father Yonetaro Otani, the founder of the hotel business.
He started to collect Western paintings, particularly modern French paintings, with a special focus on the painters of the École de Paris. Then in 1979, he came across La Console Jaune by Raoul Dufy in Paris, and instantly became an admirer of this artist.
This was the beginning of what is now widely recognized as the most important collection of Dufy in Japan.
Many works out of his collection, were Shown during Yoneichi's lifetime at the New Otani Museum of Art in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, and won praise from both the art world and art lovers in general inside and outside Japan.
When he passed away, the surviving family members decided to perpetuate his memory through making his collection publicly accessible in his own beloved home in Kamakura.
This museum mainly presents works from the Otani Collection as its permanent exhibition.
The sculptures and craft works are making their debuts here.
The exhibits are to be changed to match the seasonal beauties of the rich historical and natural surroundings of Kamakura to ensure that a visit here will be a nurturing and satisfying experience.
 |
 Entrance Hall |
||
Entrance |
|||
 |
|||