Ishii Hakutei was a painter who was active from the end of the Meiji period to the Showa period.
Born in Tokyo, Hakutei learned Japanese painting from his father, Teiko, from an early age.16At the age of 18, he studied under the Western-style painter Asai Chu and began his career as a painter in earnest. His talent was recognized early on at the Taiheiyo Gakai and Bunten exhibitions, and he soon became a central figure in the central art world. He was also involved in the founding of the magazine Hosun and the founding of the Nikakai and Issuikai, leaving a significant mark on the development of modern Japanese art.
19453In the month of March, Hakutei was in Matsumoto, where he had evacuated. His home and studio were burned down in the Great Tokyo Air Raid, and he lost many of his possessions and artworks. However, encouraged by the magnificent nature of Shinshu, he continued to paint. He also devoted himself to mentoring young painters and forming art groups, and worked hard to revive and develop Shinshu art after the war.
After Hakutei was evacuated to Matsumoto80This exhibition will showcase his diverse artistic career and his perspective on regional art through representative works from his early to later years, as well as works and materials related to Shinshu.

出品リスト

Ishii Hakutei (1882-1958)

A painter born in Tokyo. His real name was Mitsuyoshi. His grandfather was the Japanese painter Suzuki Gako, his father the Japanese painter and printmaker Ishii Teiko, and his younger brother the sculptor Ishii Tsuruzo. In 1895, he became an engraving apprentice at the Printing Bureau of the Ministry of Finance to support his family. In 1898, he became a student of Asai Chu. In 1904, he enrolled in the Western Painting Department of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts but dropped out due to eye disease. He played a central role in the founding of the Nikakai in 1914 and the Issuikai in 1936, contributing to the development of modern art. He excelled in oil painting, watercolors, printmaking, and Japanese painting, and was also active as a poet, critic, and educator. After the war, he served as a judge for the Nitten Exhibition and a member of the Japan Art Academy. In 1945, he evacuated to Asama Onsen in Matsumoto, where he remained active until his death.