Following the coronavirus outbreak in Japan, the country’s culture ministry has ordered the two-week closure of all national art museums. Among 60 masterpieces is Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.
Van Gogh’s painting was on its way from London’s National Gallery to Tokyo’s National Museum of Western Art as part of a travelling show of dozens lauded objects of fine art. For Tokyo, it is the first time Van Gogh’s work had left Europe. However, COVID19 has changed the initial plans and exhibitions schedule.
The UK sent 60 masterpieces on tour that have been affected as Japan’s museums temporarily close. Fortunately, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers have become the latest casualty of the coronavirus outbreak.
In a statement London’s National Gallery said: “We are consulting closely with our partners … we hope that the exhibition will be able to open on 17 March 2020, or as soon as possible after that.”
Tokyo was looking for the show over decades – Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London to be opened on March,3. The revised date is March, 16, indeed.
The Japanese PM Japan has ordered to shut down of all schools until the start of April amid more than 200 cases of the virus reported across the country. The closure all galleries across Japan will cause considerable disruption to the Japanese tourist industry, and an extended closure is possible.
