Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, many Japanese traveled to Europe to study Western culture. Western-style painters such as Seiki Kuroda, Takeji Fujishima, Sotaro Yasui, and Tsuguharu Fujita were exposed to masterpieces and the latest art trends in the countries they visited, and eagerly absorbed these influences. The works born from their experiences are remarkably diverse, ranging from portraits using models to works created in art schools, copies made in museums, and landscape paintings. These works serve as valuable records that tell the story of what these pioneers saw and learned overseas. This exhibition presents more than 100 such works created during the artists’ stays in Europe, all from the Ishibashi Foundation Collection. Visitors can trace how modern Japanese Western-style painting was nurtured through these European experiences, and discover the many insights captured by the fresh perspectives of these young artists on foreign soil.