Imperial Household Artist Explained

An was an artist who was officially appointed by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan to create works of art for the Tokyo Imperial Palace and other imperial residences.

History

The system came into being during the Meiji period in 1890 and was discontinued after the end of World War II. From 1890 to 1944, seventy-nine individuals were appointed to the position, from both the fine and decorative arts.[1] These tended to be artists who had already had a long and distinguished career. The programme was created to promote Japanese art, inspire new generations of artists, and preserve old techniques.

Imperial Household Artists received 100 yen each year. They were expected to submit one example of their work on being appointed and to accept commissions from the Imperial Household Agency. Some of the works commissioned were for presentation to foreign dignitaries. Many presentation wares were commissioned and then put into storage, to be gifted when the need came. Often these wares would bear the Imperial crest, a sixteen-petalled chrysanthemum.

In 1912, all twenty-four of the current artists were commissioned to create gifts for the Meiji Emperor to celebrate his 61st birthday. The Emperor died before the presentation could take place, so the items were placed in the Imperial Household Museum, which later became the Tokyo National Museum.[2]

Most pieces of work cannot be seen in public except for some in the Museum of the Imperial Collections, as well as pieces in the Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum (ja), the Tokyo National Museum and the Khalili Collection of Japanese Art.

Important artists are still designated and protected by the government under the system of Living National Treasures.

List of artists

Full nameSpecialtyAppointment dateDeath date
Tazaki Sōunpainting2 October 1890[3] 1 September 1898
Mori Kansaipainting2 October 18902 June 1894
Shibata Zeshinlacquerware 2 October 189013 July 1891
Kanō Eitokupainting2 October 189029 January 1891
Morizumi Tsuranapainting2 October 189026 February 1892
Date Yasuketextile art2 October 189020 March 1892
Kano Natsuoengraving2 October 18903 February 1898
Hashimoto Gahōpainting2 October 189013 January 1908
Takamura Kōunsculpture2 October 189010 October 1934
Ishikawa Komeisculpture2 October 189030 July 1913
Noguchi Yukokupainting25 September 1893[4] 26 June 1898
Taki Kateipainting25 September 189328 September 1901
Kōno Baireipainting25 September 18932 February 1895
Seifu Yohei IIIceramics25 September 1893[5] 15 July 1914
Kishi Chikudōpainting30 June 1896[6] 27 July 1900
Yamana Nukiyoshipainting30 June 189611 June 1902
Kawabata Gyokushōpainting30 June 189614 February 1913
Ito Heizaemonarchitecture30 June 189611 May 1913
Unno Shomin gold carving30 June 18968 October 1915
Miyagawa Kozanceramics30 June 189624 May 1916
Namikawa Sōsukecloisonné30 June 189614 February 1910
Namikawa Yasuyukicloisonné30 June 189614 February 1927
Suzuki Chokichimetalwork30 June 189629 January 1919
Kawanobe Itchomaki-e30 June 18965 September 1910
Tadashi Ikedamaki-e30 June 18967 March 1903
Kawashima Jinbeitextile art9 February 1898[7] 5 May 1910
Araki Kanpopainting21 July 1900[8] 21 July 1915
Naohiko Kumagaipainting16 April 1904[9] 8 March 1913
Mochizuki Gyokusenpainting16 April 1904 16 September 1913
Imao Keinenpainting16 April 1904 5 October 1924
Noguchi Shōhinpainting16 April 190417 February 1917
Takeuchi Kyūichisculpture4 April 1906[10] 24 September 1916
Shirayama Shosailacquerware4 April 1906 7 August 1923
Kagawa Katsuhirogold carving4 April 1906 15 January 1917
Miyamoto Kanenoribladesmithing4 April 190622 October 1926
Nakai Keishocarving4 April 190630 September 1909
Gassan Sadakazubladesmithing4 April 190611 July 1918
Kishi Kokeidesign4 April 19063 May 1922
Kuroda Seikiyōga (Western-style painting)18 October 191016 July 1924
Ogawa Kazumasaphotography18 October 19107 September 1929
Takeuchi Seihōpainting18 December 1913[11] 23 August 1942
Tsukada Shukyoengraving18 December 191329 December 1918
Kōgyō Terasakipainting17 June 191711 February 1919
Tomoto Koboripainting17 June 19171 October 1931
Kawai Gyokudōpainting17 June 191730 June 1958
Kanzan Shimomurapainting17 June 191710 May 1930
Tomioka Tessaipainting17 June 19173 December 1923
Yamamoto Shunkyopainting17 June 191711 July 1933
Taketarō Shinkaisculpture17 June 191712 March 1927
Ito Suzanceramics17 June 191724 September 1920
Suwa Sozanceramics17 June 19179 February 1922
Muneyuki Hiratametalwork17 June 191725 February 1920
Sasaki Iwajiroarchitecture17 June 1917[12] 10 October 1936
Yokoyama Taikannihonga (Japanese-style painting)30 June 1931[13] 26 January 1958
Akatsuka Jitokulacquerware19301936
Hashimoto Kansetsunihonga3 December 193426 February 1945
Yasuda Yukihikonihonga3 December 193429 April 1978
Keigetsu Kikuchinihonga3 December 19349 September 1955
Eisaku Wadayōga3 December 19343 January 1959
Fujishima Takejiyōga3 December 193419 March 1943
Okada Saburōsukeyōga3 December 193423 September 1939
Choun Yamazakisculpture3 December 19344 June 1954
Hazan Itayacrafts3 December 193410 October 1963
Hozuma Katoricrafts3 December 193431 January 1954
Nanzan Shimizucrafts3 December 1934[14] 7 December 1948
Nishiyama Suishonihonga1 July 194430 March 1958
Inshō Dōmotonihonga1 July 19445 September 1975
Kiyokata Kaburaginihonga1 July 19442 March 1972
Uemura Shōennihonga1 July 194427 August 1949
Seison Maedanihonga1 July 194427 October 1977
Matsubayashi Keigetsunihonga1 July 194422 May 1963
Kokei Kobayashinihonga1 July 19443 April 1957
Komuro Suiunnihonga1 July 194430 March 1945
Kanayama Heizōyōga1 July 194415 July 1964
Hiromitsu Nakazawayōga1 July 19448 September 1964
Ryūzaburō Umeharayōga1 July 194416 January 1986
Sōtarō Yasuiyōga1 July 194414 December 1955
Minami Kunzōyōga1 July 19446 January 1950
Fumio Asakurasculpture1 July 194418 April 1964
Hirakushi Denchūsculpture1 July 1944[15] 30 December 1979

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Artists to the Imperial Household. www.tnm.jp. Tokyo National Museum. en. 2020-05-08.
  2. Web site: 140th Anniversary Thematic Exhibitions: Donated Works from Imperial Household Artists in the First Year of the Taisho Era (1912). www.tnm.jp. Tokyo National Museum. en. 2020-05-08.
  3. [Kanpō (Japanese government gazette)|"Gazette"]
  4. "Gazette" No. 3076, September 28, 1868.
  5. Web site: Ambient Green Flow _ 青韻流動. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170205013817/http://exhibition.ceramics.ntpc.gov.tw/celadon/en/a_products_03.html. 2017-02-05. 2016-09-03.
  6. "Gazette" No. 3901, July 1, 1897.
  7. "Gazette" No. 4380, February 10, 1891.
  8. "Gazette" No. 5116, July 23, 1868.
  9. "Gazette" No. 6236, April 18, 1897.
  10. "Official Gazette" No. 6826, 5 April 1906.
  11. "Gazette" No. 419, December 19, 1912.
  12. "Gazette" No. 1458, June 12, 1912.
  13. Gazette," No. 1351, July 2, 1988.
  14. "Gazette" No. 2378, December 4, 1934.
  15. “Gazette” No. 5239, July 3, 1947.

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