Tokyo’s Teien Art Museum is a perfect example where one can explore the intimate relationship between France during the Belle Époque period and Japan. Located in Tokyo, this museum consists of a main building constructed in 1933, a newly built annex in the 1960s used as an art gallery, and a combination of European and Japanese-style gardens. The main building was originally a grand mansion used by the Asakanomiya family, a noble family in Japan, designed entirely in the Art Deco style by Western architects and artists brought over by the Asakanomiya family, showcasing their wealth and influence.
The Art Deco style emerged after World War I during a period of rapid industrialization. It emphasized organic shapes and curved elements inspired by plant patterns, as opposed to the previous Art Nouveau style. With the advent of mass production through machinery after World War I, Art Deco focused more on geometric forms and straight lines, fitting well with the industrial era. The first major event showcasing Art Deco trends was the 1925 International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, which attracted millions of visitors from around the world.
Among the visitors to the 1925 exposition was Yasuhiko O, a member of the Asakanomiya family, who was captivated by the Art Deco style. This led him to return to Japan and commission the construction of a grand mansion decorated in the style of the “Collector’s Hotel” exhibited at the exposition. The construction of the mansion began in 1929, with Japanese architects from the Imperial Palace involved in the building’s design and French designer Henri LaPagne responsible for the interior design. Various French craftsmen contributed to the mansion’s decoration, creating a unique blend of Japanese and French Art Deco styles.
The fate of the mansion and its owner Yasuhiko O took a dramatic turn after World War II, with Yasuhiko O losing his noble status and the mansion being confiscated by the government. Yasuhiko O’s involvement in the Nanjing Massacre as a military officer tarnished his reputation, yet he was released without charges due to his noble status. The mansion was later repurposed as the Prime Minister’s residence and the official guesthouse before becoming the Tokyo Teien Art Museum in 1983. Despite its dark history, the museum stands as a unique space intertwining French and Japanese influences, Art Deco aesthetics, and the Nanjing Massacre, creating a beautiful yet eerie narrative.