DOI Heft:
No. 166 (May 1915)
DOI Artikel:Harada, Jirō: The modern development of oil painting in Japan
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21212#0280
Oil Painting in Japan
lodging in Kanda, Tokyo. However, thanks to
the persistent and persevering efforts of Koyama
Shotaro, Asai Chu, Matsuoka Hisashi, Yamamoto
Hosui, Harada Naojiro, and Kawamura Kiyoo,
the pulse of the new movement was kept beating
throughout this difficult period until by a change
of circumstances, brought about mainly by the
adoption of the Western style of architecture, the
eyes of the people were opened and European art
came to be regarded in a more favourable light.
It was in 1888 that the first association of
painters in the European style was founded in
Japan under the name of Meiji Bijutsu-kai (the
Fine Art Society of Meiji). About six years
later, when Kuroda Seiki and Kume Keitaro
returned from France and became professors in
the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, they organised
the Hakuba-kai (White Horse Society) in opposi-
tion to the Meiji Bijutsu-kai. Very soon the
Meiji Bijutsu-kai was disbanded, for some of its in-
fluential members broke away from it and organised
the Taiheiyoga-kai, which held its own against the
Hakuba-kai. The Taiheiyoga-kai stood as non-
governmental as opposed to the Hakuba-kai which
had the reputation of being bureaucratic, owing
mainly to the official connection maintained by its
promoters. From the Tokyo School of Fine Arts
Kuroda Seiki and Kume Keitaro sent out such
artists of talent as Okada Saburosuke, Wada
Eisaku, and Nakazawa Hiromitsu. A large
number of the Art School graduates were sent
abroad by the Government for further study.
Some of the members of the Taiheiyoga-kai, not
to be behindhand, also went abroad by themselves
to acquire further practice in the art of oil painting.
In 1899 Yoshida Hiroshi, Kanokogi Takeshiro,
Mitsutani Kunishiro, and Nakagawa Hachiro left
Japan for France, where they remained for a few
years, much to the improvement of their art.
The Hakuba-kai ceased to exist some four
years ago, and soon afterwards the Kofu-kai was
organised by Yamamoto Morinosuke, Nakazawa
Hiromitsu, Kobayashi Shokichi, and others. It
was strongly insisted upon at the time of its
organisation that the Kofu-kai was formed inde-
pendently of the Hakuba-kai, but it was generally
looked upon as its rebirth under a new name.
There was some reason for so regarding it, for its
promoters were for the most part Mr. Kuroda’s
monjin. However, one thing is to be observed :
the new society is free from the bureaucratic air ot
its predecessor. It is natural that it should be so,
“SHIPS IN THE HARBOUR” (TEMPERA)
274
BY ISHII HAKUTEI
lodging in Kanda, Tokyo. However, thanks to
the persistent and persevering efforts of Koyama
Shotaro, Asai Chu, Matsuoka Hisashi, Yamamoto
Hosui, Harada Naojiro, and Kawamura Kiyoo,
the pulse of the new movement was kept beating
throughout this difficult period until by a change
of circumstances, brought about mainly by the
adoption of the Western style of architecture, the
eyes of the people were opened and European art
came to be regarded in a more favourable light.
It was in 1888 that the first association of
painters in the European style was founded in
Japan under the name of Meiji Bijutsu-kai (the
Fine Art Society of Meiji). About six years
later, when Kuroda Seiki and Kume Keitaro
returned from France and became professors in
the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, they organised
the Hakuba-kai (White Horse Society) in opposi-
tion to the Meiji Bijutsu-kai. Very soon the
Meiji Bijutsu-kai was disbanded, for some of its in-
fluential members broke away from it and organised
the Taiheiyoga-kai, which held its own against the
Hakuba-kai. The Taiheiyoga-kai stood as non-
governmental as opposed to the Hakuba-kai which
had the reputation of being bureaucratic, owing
mainly to the official connection maintained by its
promoters. From the Tokyo School of Fine Arts
Kuroda Seiki and Kume Keitaro sent out such
artists of talent as Okada Saburosuke, Wada
Eisaku, and Nakazawa Hiromitsu. A large
number of the Art School graduates were sent
abroad by the Government for further study.
Some of the members of the Taiheiyoga-kai, not
to be behindhand, also went abroad by themselves
to acquire further practice in the art of oil painting.
In 1899 Yoshida Hiroshi, Kanokogi Takeshiro,
Mitsutani Kunishiro, and Nakagawa Hachiro left
Japan for France, where they remained for a few
years, much to the improvement of their art.
The Hakuba-kai ceased to exist some four
years ago, and soon afterwards the Kofu-kai was
organised by Yamamoto Morinosuke, Nakazawa
Hiromitsu, Kobayashi Shokichi, and others. It
was strongly insisted upon at the time of its
organisation that the Kofu-kai was formed inde-
pendently of the Hakuba-kai, but it was generally
looked upon as its rebirth under a new name.
There was some reason for so regarding it, for its
promoters were for the most part Mr. Kuroda’s
monjin. However, one thing is to be observed :
the new society is free from the bureaucratic air ot
its predecessor. It is natural that it should be so,
“SHIPS IN THE HARBOUR” (TEMPERA)
274
BY ISHII HAKUTEI