Travel Memories: Paintings from Japan at the Ducal Castle of Agliè

A Japanese collection rediscovered in the Canavese

In the town of Agliè, a splendid village in the Canavese area of the Province of Turin, the Ducal Castle of Agliè — one of the UNESCO-protected Savoyard Royal Residences — hosts the exhibition "Travel Memories: Paintings from Japan at the Ducal Castle of Agliè". The exhibition, curated by the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Piedmont, returns to the public a refined collection of 19th-century Japanese art that had been kept in the residence's storage for decades.

The paintings of Kawanabe Kyōsai

The core of the exhibition consists of 21 Japanese silk paintings, mounted as kakemono, most of which bear the signature of Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831-1889), a master famous for his rapid brushwork and the irreverent irony with which he depicted animals, caricatures, and the encounter between East and West. The subjects range from musical frogs to crows, and from courtesans to scenes of daily life, in a lively and surprising repertoire.

The journey of Duke Tommaso of Savoy-Genoa

The works arrived in Agliè between 1879 and 1881, purchased directly in Japan by Duke Tommaso of Savoy-Genoa during his voyage around the world while commanding the corvette Vettor Pisani. Along with the paintings, the Duke also brought to Piedmont 28 blue and white ceramic garden pots, ancient bonsai containers largely manufactured in Seto, purchased in Yokohama in 1880.

The installation in the Chinese Room

The exhibition is set up between the anteroom of the Chinese Room and the Chinese Room of the castle, where the silk kakemono engage in a dialogue with 17th-century samurai armor that arrived in Agliè with the same expedition. The exhibition is the result of a meticulous restoration campaign conducted by the Fondazione Centro Conservazione e Restauro «La Venaria Reale», with the support of the Fondazione CRT as part of the Cantieri Diffusi call, which has restored intensity and legibility to works long rolled up in storage.

A stop on the castle tour

Inaugurated on December 13, 2025, the exhibition is integrated into the regular tour of the Ducal Castle of Agliè and remains open to visitors until October 31, 2026. The visit thus allows one to combine the discovery of Japanese art with the sumptuous historical rooms and scenic parks of the residence, an authentic jewel of the Savoyard heritage in Piedmont.