TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM Special Exhibition The Dancing Satyr

TOP >> Special Exhibition

	Date : September 3, 2010 Valid until : March 13, 2005

The Dancing Satyr	Hyokeikan Saturday, February 19 - Sunday, March 13, 2005

© Marco Delogu		This exhibition was designed to introduce The Dancing Satyr, one of the most important national treasures of Italy, at Tokyo National Museum for the first time in Japan prior to the formal display from March this year in the Italian Pavilion at the Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan. This fine bronze was miraculously salvaged from the sea of Sicily in 1998 after more than two thousand years on the sea-bed. The Central Institute for Restoration in Rome spent 4 years in meticulously investigating the condition of the statue and carried out a perfect restoration work, which carried out the former glory of the classical masterpiece. Because of its precarious conditions as well as its significance in the history of European art, exhibiting The Dancing Satyr in overseas is a very rare and precious opportunity that could not have materialized without the resolution on the part of the Italian Government and the Region of Sicily. It is our sincere wish and hope that we are introducing to you this rare opportunity of witnessing this treasure of Italy at close hands, which came all the way across the miles to Japan from the Mediterranean.

General Information

Period

Saturday, February 19 - Sunday, March 13, 2005

Venue

Hyokeikan, Tokyo National Museum (Ueno Park)

Hours

9:30 am. - 5:00 pm. (last entry 30 minutes before closing)

Open Days

Open daily during the Exhibition

Admissions

Adult 800 (700/650)yen, Student 600 (500/450)yen

Prices shown in ( ) indicate advance-discount/group (more than 20 persons) tickets.

Persons with a disability are allowed free entry with one companion. Valid identification requested upon entry.

Advance tickets will be on sale at the Museum ticket office (during museum hours) and the counters of JR East, e-Ticket Pia and other major ticket offices from February 18 2005.

Set Discount Tickets for the two exhibitions "The Dancing Satyr" and "National Treasures from Chuguji - Sacred Bosatsu"

Buy tickets for both exhibitions together at discount prices.
Adults: 1,000yen; students 800yen

On sale from February 19 (Sat.), 2005 - March 13 (Sun.), 2005 (period of the exhibition of "The Dancing Satyr")

At the ticket booth of the Tokyo National Museum's Main Gate

Good News for Visitors who have advance tickets for "The Dancing Satyr"!

Visitors with advance tickets (adults 700 yen, students 500 yen) or tickets sold at other places (adults 800 yen, students 600 yen) can purchase the ticket for another exhibition, "National Treasures from Chuguji - Sacred Bosatsu", for 200 yen. You can have the two tickets 100 yen cheaper than the price of the set discount tickets for the two exhibitions.

The discount ticket is on sale from February 19 (Sat.), 2005 - March 13 (Sun.), 2005 (period of the exhibition of "The Dancing Satyr")

Please show your ticket for "The Dancing Satyr" at the ticket booth of the museum.

The discount is available only once per ticket.

Access

10 minutes walk from JR Ueno Station (Park exit) and Uguisudani Station
15 minutes walk from Keisei Ueno Station and Tokyo Metro Ueno Station and Nezu Station

Organizers

Tokyo National Museum, Yomiuri Shimbun, the General Commissioner's Office for the 2005 Universal Expo in Aichi

Specially supported by

Embassy of Italy

Supported by

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Cooperated by

Region of Sicily

General Inquiries

Tokyo National Museum TEL. +81-3-3822-1111

Exhibition Homepage

http://info.yomiuri.co.jp/event/exhibition/ (Yomiuri Shimbun Homepage : Japanese only)
The website has closed with the end of the exhibition.

Other Exhibitions

	In Commemoration of the Heisei Restoration of the Kondo National Treasures of Toshodaiji Temple - Ganjinwajo and Vairocana Buddha Heiseikan, Wednesday, January 12 - Sunday, March 6, 2005

	Special Feature: National Treasure from Chuguji Seated Bosatsu (Bodhisattva) Room T5, Honkan, Tuesday, March 8 - Sunday, April 17, 2005

About The Dancing Satyr

Satyr is known in the context of Greek and Roman myths, as a spirit of forests (hill and dale) who has pointed ears and a tail, serving Dionysos (Bacchus), the god of wine and fertility.

Although The Dancing Satyr has lost both of its arms and right leg as well as its tail, this statue beautifully captures the moment at which a drunken and rapturous Satyr is about to leap into the air. It is not too difficult to assume that it had kantharos, a large handled wine cup in its left hand and in its right hand thyrsus, a holy staff which belonged to Dionysius.

Looking at the statue as a whole we quickly realize that it was produced separately. The lost wax process all separately cast its head, chest, arms and legs thigh downward and they were subsequently welded together to make them into one final piece. Its facial expression as well as hair was directly engraved into the bronze to disclose finest and minute details and some of its flocks trailing in the wind at the back of its head were separately produced and welded to its head. Its eyeballs were inlaid in white alabaster, but its pupils are missing.