Akane Iemoto's Painting Acquired by the French Embassy, Presentation Ceremony Held

On Wednesday, July 3, Akane Iemoto's painting was acquired by the French Embassy, and a presentation ceremony was held.

Sogetsu School has had a long-standing relationship with France. The first Iemoto, Sofu, was awarded the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in 1960 and the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1961. The third Iemoto, Hiroshi, received the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for the film "Woman in the Dunes" in 1964, the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in 1985, and the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in 1996.

As a result of this connection, the French Embassy houses Sofu's sculptures and folding screens as well as Hiroshi's calligraphy.

*From left, Philippe Setton, the French Ambassador to Japan, myself, and Jeanne-Marie Setton.