Visit of the Fenollosa Family to the Atelier

Ernest Fenollosa (1853–1908) is widely recognized as a key figure who helped elevate the international appreciation of Japanese art. After arriving in Japan in the early Meiji period, he developed a deep fascination with Japanese aesthetics at a time of rapid Westernization. His dedicated efforts in the research, preservation, and advocacy of Japanese art left an enduring legacy.

During his time in Japan, he played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, the predecessor of today’s Tokyo University of the Arts. After returning to the United States, he served as Curator of Asian Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, tirelessly introducing the beauty of Japanese art to Western audiences. Owing to his passion and achievements, we continue to encounter many outstanding works of Japanese art today.

This month, descendants of Ernest Fenollosa, together with John Keenan, Art Director at Colby-Sawyer College, visited Japan and toured several locations closely connected to his life and legacy. As part of their journey tracing Fenollosa’s footsteps—including visits to Tokyo University of the Arts and Miidera Temple, where he is memorialized—the family also visited the atelier of Setsuo Kano.

The family expressed deep interest in how the spirit of Japanese art that so captivated Fenollosa throughout his life continues to be reinterpreted and carried forward in contemporary form through Kano’s work.
Although brief, the visit became a meaningful moment of exchange—one that linked the past and present of Japanese art through Kano’s creations.

Message from the Fenollosa Family

Message from Jon Keenan