Tamura Kazuo was born in 1904 in what is now Nakano Ward, Tokyo. Aspiring to be a painter, he visited the Tateshina Plateau in Shinshu when he was in his early 20s and was inspired by its grandeur. He continued to paint Japanese landscapes, particularly plateau landscapes, until his death at the age of 92. Tamura's works are not realistic landscapes, but rather the striking mountain scenes that exude an air of "solitude" and "innocence" that seems to project Tamura himself onto the canvas.

This exhibition will mainly feature works that Tamura Kazuo exhibited at the art group "Koufu-kai," of which he was chairman. Many of these works, from early small pieces he exhibited in his twenties to a large 20-size work that was his last work, are in the collection of the Matsumoto City Museum of Art.

We hope you enjoy Tamura's unique works, which depict snow-capped mountains and land that hints at spring, created through his ongoing dialogue with nature.

List of works