＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
For several months from March to June 2020, no matter which TV news or information program I watched, it was almost entirely about COVID-19. To be honest, I found it tiresome, and perhaps I was suffering from COVID-19 fatigue.
At times like these, a good way to “block out” information and take a walk to refresh your mind is to watch “Sunday Art Museum” on NHK Educational TV (E-TV). Another good option is to watch “Sunday Art Museum” on NHK Educational TV (E-TV).
One day, I watched “Sunday Art Museum” for the first time in a long time, and, although it may sound a bit exaggerated, I was so moved by the “rain of grace in a drought” that I “shed tears of joy.” I recommend you give it a try yourself.
1. What is “Sunday Art Museum”?
“Sunday Art Museum” is an educational art-related program that began airing in April 1976. It currently airs every Sunday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM on NHK Educational TV (E-TV).
Listening to a female announcer narrate and explain the meaning of each painting, the background to its creation, and its details helps you understand the painting better, revealing deeper meanings that you wouldn’t get by just looking at it vaguely without that basic knowledge.
The exhibition I saw on Sunday, May 24, 2020, was “Louvre Museum (2) In Search of Eternal Beauty.” There were detailed explanations of works such as Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People,” Géricault’s “The Raft of the Medusa,” Vermeer’s “The Lacemaker,” and La Tour’s “The Trickster.”
The program guide stated:
This latest installment of a series capturing the Louvre in 8K depicts the 19th and 20th centuries. It looks at the art people sought in times of revolution, modernization, war, and upheaval. What is their art in this era? The conflicts of artists produce masterpieces. Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” depicts revolution and freedom. The words of the painter Géricault, who said, “Truth is beauty,” still resonate today. And a masterpiece depicting prayer and hope. Vermeer, La Tour, and precious treasures speak to the human truth of darkness and beauty.
2. Reopening of Art Galleries and Museums
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of emergency declaration, art galleries and museums were closed for a long time, but with the state of emergency lifted, they have reopened.
While it is important to keep up with the latest international developments and the current state of COVID-19, don’t we also need to occasionally experience traditional art and culture at art galleries and museums and broaden our horizons?
I’m sure you’ll be left feeling a “fresh sense of wonder.”