Setsuko Klossowska de Rola
Encyclopedia
Setsuko Klossowski de Rola (b.1943) is a Japanese painter. She has been in charge of the Villa Medici
in Rome
, has exhibited her work internationally, and is also a writer. She became UNESCO
's Artist For Peace in 2005. She is the widow of the French painter, Balthus
, and is honorary president of the Balthus Foundation.
in 1943. She graduated from Tokyo Morimura Gakuen High School in 1961 and entered the department of French language at Sophia University
in Tokyo. As a university student, she met the painter Balthus
who was visiting Japan for the first time in 1962. They got married in 1967. Setsuko assisted Balthus, acting as the headmistress of Villa Medici
, where he presided as director of the French Academy in Rome
. In 1968, she gave birth to a son, Fumio, who died aged two years and six months. In 1973, a daughter, Harumi, was born. In 1977, Setsuko and Balthus left the French Academy and moved to Le Grand Chalet
in Rossinière
, Switzerland
. Balthus died in 2001.
In 1988 her collection entitled Setsuko was published by Librairie Seguier. In 1991, she painted a wine label for the prestigious Bordeaux Mouton Rothschild. In 1994, upon request by Limited Edition of New York, she produced illustrations for a limited grand edition of Koyahijiri (Saint of Mt. Koya, a work by Kyōka Izumi
). The illustrations were exhibited in New York
, Paris
and Rome. At Sotheby's
in Zurich
in 1999, a Balthus and Setsuko Klossowski de Rola exhibition was held entitled Sotheby's Kingdom of the Cats.
In the same year, an exhibition entitled Setsuko & Harumi was held at the United Nations
headquarters in Geneva
. In 2002, when the Balthus Foundation was established, Setsuko was designated as its honorary president, and she was also Cultural Patron of the 2002 Venice Congress the same year. In 2005, she became UNESCO
's Artist For Peace. In 2005 and 2006, Mainichi Newspaper
and Asahi Shimbun
sponsored her exhibition entitled Setsuko-no-kurashi Wa-no-kokoro (Spirit of Japan, Setsuko's Life) in Kumamoto, Yokohama
and Tokyo. In 2010, she exhibited at Galerie Yoshii in Paris in January, and in Tokyo in February. She appeared as a guest in an Asahi TV talk show Tetsuko's Room. Other TV appearances include Tanoshii Engei (Enjoy Gardening) by NHK
's Education Channel and Grand Chalet by Swiss TV.
Villa Medici
The Villa Medici is a mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and now property of the French...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, has exhibited her work internationally, and is also a writer. She became UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's Artist For Peace in 2005. She is the widow of the French painter, Balthus
Balthus
Balthasar Klossowski de Rola , best known as Balthus, was an esteemed but controversial Polish-French modern artist....
, and is honorary president of the Balthus Foundation.
Biography
Setsuko was born, Setsuko Ideta, in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in 1943. She graduated from Tokyo Morimura Gakuen High School in 1961 and entered the department of French language at Sophia University
Sophia University
There are several rankings below related to Sophia University.-General Rankings:The university was ranked 61st in 2010 in the ranking Truly Strong Universities by Toyo Keizai...
in Tokyo. As a university student, she met the painter Balthus
Balthus
Balthasar Klossowski de Rola , best known as Balthus, was an esteemed but controversial Polish-French modern artist....
who was visiting Japan for the first time in 1962. They got married in 1967. Setsuko assisted Balthus, acting as the headmistress of Villa Medici
Villa Medici
The Villa Medici is a mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and now property of the French...
, where he presided as director of the French Academy in Rome
French Academy in Rome
The French Academy in Rome is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio in Rome, Italy.-History:...
. In 1968, she gave birth to a son, Fumio, who died aged two years and six months. In 1973, a daughter, Harumi, was born. In 1977, Setsuko and Balthus left the French Academy and moved to Le Grand Chalet
Grand Chalet
The Grand Chalet of Rossinière is one of the oldest chalets in Switzerland, dating to the 18th century. It is located in Rossinière and classed as a historic monument. Claude Roy wrote of it:-History:...
in Rossinière
Rossinière
Rossinière is a municipality in the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut district of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-Geography:Rossinière has an area, , of . Of this area, or 38.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 49.6% is forested...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Balthus died in 2001.
Career
Setsuko made rapid progress as a painter. Her exhibitions were held at:- Pierre MatissePierre MatissePierre Matisse was an art dealer active in New York City. He was the youngest child of French painter Henri Matisse.-Background and early years:...
Art Gallery in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1984 - Alice Pauli in LausanneLausanneLausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
in 1986 - The Lefevre Gallery in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1989 - Takanawa Prince HotelTakanawa Prince HotelThe Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa is a "slightly upscale" complex of three hotels situated in the Takanawa district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan....
in 1989 - The Lefevre Gallery in London in 1992
- Hotels Salon de Rothschild in 1993
In 1988 her collection entitled Setsuko was published by Librairie Seguier. In 1991, she painted a wine label for the prestigious Bordeaux Mouton Rothschild. In 1994, upon request by Limited Edition of New York, she produced illustrations for a limited grand edition of Koyahijiri (Saint of Mt. Koya, a work by Kyōka Izumi
Kyoka Izumi
is the pen name of a Japanese author of novels, short stories, and kabuki plays who was active from the late Meiji to the early Shōwa periods. He is best known for a characteristic brand of Romanticism preferring tales of the supernatural heavily influenced by works of the earlier Edo period in...
). The illustrations were exhibited in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Rome. At Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
in 1999, a Balthus and Setsuko Klossowski de Rola exhibition was held entitled Sotheby's Kingdom of the Cats.
In the same year, an exhibition entitled Setsuko & Harumi was held at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
headquarters in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. In 2002, when the Balthus Foundation was established, Setsuko was designated as its honorary president, and she was also Cultural Patron of the 2002 Venice Congress the same year. In 2005, she became UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's Artist For Peace. In 2005 and 2006, Mainichi Newspaper
Mainichi Shimbun
The is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by .-History:The history of the Mainichi Shimbun begins with founding of two papers during the Meiji period. The Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun was founded first, in 1872. The Mainichi claims that it is the oldest existing Japanese daily newspaper...
and Asahi Shimbun
Asahi Shimbun
The is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun...
sponsored her exhibition entitled Setsuko-no-kurashi Wa-no-kokoro (Spirit of Japan, Setsuko's Life) in Kumamoto, Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
and Tokyo. In 2010, she exhibited at Galerie Yoshii in Paris in January, and in Tokyo in February. She appeared as a guest in an Asahi TV talk show Tetsuko's Room. Other TV appearances include Tanoshii Engei (Enjoy Gardening) by NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
's Education Channel and Grand Chalet by Swiss TV.
Writings
Setsuko's written work includes:- Miru-bi, Kiku-bi, Omou-bi (Beauty as vision, sound and thought) by Shodensha and later recorded in Asahi Bunko;
- Grand Chalet Yume-no-toki (Grand Chalet Remains of a dream) by Sekaibunkasha
- Balthus' yuga-na-seikatsu (Balthus' elegant life) and Wa-to yorusou kurashi (Life with Wa) both by Shincho-sha
- Wa wo tsukuru bi (Beauty that makes Wa) by Shodensha
- Kimono-wo matou bi (Beauty of wearing kimono) by Fusosha
- Grand Chalet-no tezukuri kurashi (Grand Chalet a hand-made life) by Sekaibunkasha
- Meguriau-hana, shiki. Soshite kurashi (Flowers encountered, four seasons and life style) by Kadokawa Magazines