From its beginnings in ancient China, the fantastical dragon has served as an auspicious symbol of power and authority, and has often featured in East Asian paintings and other arts and crafts. This exhibition marks the arrival of the Year of the Dragon with a rich array of artistic representations showing the multiple sides of this imaginary beast.

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Seikado was founded by Yanosuke Iwasaki (1851-1908), Mitsubishi's second president, and Koyata (1879-1945), Mitsubishi's fourth president, and houses approximately 200,000 volumes of classical books and 6,500 pieces of Oriental antiquities, including seven national treasures and 84 important cultural properties. The name "Seikado" was taken from a phrase in the Chinese classic "Shijing" meaning the offerings made to the spirits of ancestors would be splendidly arranged.

Since 1977, the Seikado Bunko Exhibition Hall in Okamoto, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo has been open to the public, but on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Seikado's founding, a new building was constructed, and in April 1992, the Seikado Bunko Art Museum was opened. In 2022, the 130th anniversary of Seikado, the exhibition gallery will be relocated to the first floor of the Meiji Seimei Kan, an important cultural asset in Marunouchi, Tokyo.

Happy Ryu Year: Welcome to the Year of the Dragon! A Celebration of the Dragon in Paintings and Crafts

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