Mirrors from Japan

The Japan ’Observed, experienced and recounted’ finds a home in the fascinating surroundings of the’Chinese flat of Castle of Racconigi. For the first time, the original sketchbooks, albums, travel tools and study materials of the painter and writer Stefano Faravelli, among the Italian masters of the travel journal, are brought together in an exhibition itinerary integrated into the artist’s creative studio. The initiative coincides with the publication of the book Japan. Notebooks from the Floating World and is edited by Alessandra Giovannini Luca e Laura Gallowith the collaboration of EDT and the participation of the Carmagnola Reading Group.

The exhibition weaves a profound dialogue between the inner journey of Stefano Faravelli and a taste for’East historically cultivated by the House of Savoy. His sketchbooks, watercolours and loose drawings stand in direct contrast to the rooms which, at the beginning of the Twentieth century were renamed Japanese Flat, which were once intended for Royal Guest House and adorned with exquisite period furnishings and historic hand-painted Chinese scrolls. The artist’s connection with the Land of the Rising Sun is also deeply rooted in her family history, evoking the figure of her great-aunt Irma, portrayed at the turn of the century in geisha dress, following in the footsteps of the actress’s successful tours of Turin Sada Yakko.

Through dynamic calligraphic strokes and soft brushwork, the works capture the key themes of Japanese iconography: the solemn profile of the Mount Fuji, the lush bamboo forests, the temples, the shrines and the gardens, right through to human figures immersed in contemporary life. Every page becomes a gateway to the’ukiYothe floating world and ever-changing. The exhibition is rounded off by a fine selection of original artefacts from the residence’s collections: three exquisite works in maki-e lacquer made from tree resin urushi, including a box decorated with cranes, a travel picnic set (sagejubako) and a document box with an interior embellished using the technique nashiji.