Museo d'Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone

The Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art preserves an extensive collection of Japanese art in Genoa's Villetta Di Negro park. Sculpture, armour, ceramics, lacquer and prints reflect the breadth of the engraver's collecting interests.

Why it matters

Chiossone worked in Japan between 1875 and 1898, contributing his engraving skills to government printing. The collection assembled during those years became a public inheritance for Genoa, connecting the port city with the artistic culture of Meiji-era Japan.

What to notice

Buddhist sculpture and arms stand alongside theatrical masks and objects associated with dress and domestic life. The print holdings include works by Harunobu, Utamaro, Hiroshige and Hokusai, adding a different medium to the material culture represented by the three-dimensional objects. Mario Labò's modern pavilion gives the collection an architectural setting within the historic park.

Context and history

The museum opened in 1905, before the collection moved to its later purpose-designed home. The range of objects preserves a collecting history that crosses distinctions between fine art, craft and everyday use. Chiossone's own technical profession forms another link with the skilled making represented in the collection.