The Delicate Art of Japanese Textiles Arrives in Paris

The Musée Guimet is a museum in Paris dedicated entirely to the Asian arts. With collections hailing from various Asian countries and conceived using a multitude of mediums and techniques, the Musée Guimet reveals the diversity and richness of art in the Eastern part of the globe.

Guests staying at one of the Sister Hotels Champs-Elysées are perfectly placed to take in an exhibition at the Musée Guimet, which is located a short stroll away from the Champs-Elysées. Right now, an exhibition exploring Japanese textiles called 'tsutsugaki' is running until October 7, 2013.

This extraordinary exhibit enables visitors to see these tsutsugaki that are being presented outside of Japan for the very first time. This type of textile creation represents a very special form of art in Japan, yet this art form is not very well known outside of its country of origin.

For this reason, the Musée Guimet will be displaying roughly 30 tsutsugaki textiles that come from a private Japanese collection. In addition to this private offering, the Musée Guimet is contributing a dozen pieces from its own collection.

The technique used to create these amazing cloths consists of using indigo to dye the textile and then applying complex designs with rice paste. The tsutsugaki are so renowned because of the delicateness of the materials used to produce them, which juxtaposes the boldness and vivacity of their colors. Moreover, the mastery demonstrated in the intricate designs is comparable to that which is seen in grand paintings.

First seen in the during the Muromachi period, which lasted from 1392 - 1573, the tsutsugaki also offer a glimpse into the history of Japan and the evolution of artistic expression in the country.

Musée Guimet

6 place d’Iéna, 75116

Open every day except Tuesday, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.