Sistine Hall The Otsuka Museum of Art was built in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan by the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group in celebration of the group's 75th anniversary. With a total floor of 29,412 square meters, this museum of masterpaintings reproduced on ceramic boards is the largest exhibition space in Japan. It's collection consists of more than 1,000 reproductions of masterpaintings in Western Art. A committee consisting of six noted art historians decided on the selection of the works to be reproduced from about 190 collections in 25 countries. The selections were made with due consideration to the historical development of Western art from antiquity to the 20th century. Using a special manufacturing technique, Otsuka Ohmi Ceramics Co., Ltd. was able to reproduce the selected works in the identical sizes of the originals. Unlike viewing these masterpaintings on the reduced scale in art books or picture postcards, the full-sized reproductions exhibited in The Otsuka Museum of Art give visitors a much better opportunity to appreciate the true artistic value of the original works. One can also experience, in this unique single location, images from some of the world's greatest museums. Moreover, while some of the original masterpaintings are under the threat of damage due to environmental conditions, pollution, earthquakes, or fire, the ceramic reproductions of these masterpaintings will keep their colors and shapes for as long as 2,000 years, thus becoming an effective means of preserving their significance in mankind's cultural heritage. Picasso's "Guernica" which never leaves the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid has been reproduced, as well as El Greco's "High Altarpiece," parts of which had been dispersed during World war ll. Pablo Picasso's son, Claude, the grandchildren of Miro and the directors or curators of many major museums from around the world came to Naruto in order to check the quality of the work done. The Otsuka Museum of Art is indeed a unique institution both technically and philosophically. All artwork images (photos) shown here are photographs of artworks displayed at the Otsuka Museum of Art. Copyright (C) 2004 THE OTSUKA MUSEUM OF ART.