Kagaku Murakami
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
painter and illustrator, noted for his numerous Buddhist
subjects and advancement in the techniques of nihonga
(Japanese-style) painting in the early 20th century.
as Takeda Shinichi. His parents divorced when he was a child and he was raised in Kobe
, taking his maternal grandfather’s name in 1904. In 1903, he entered the Kyoto City School of Arts and Crafts, graduating in 1907 and entering the Kyoto City Art College (present day Kyoto City University of Arts
) in 1909, from which he graduated in 1913. His work was accepted for display at the 5th Bunten Exhibition in 1911, and in 1916, he won a special prize for his first Buddhist-themed work at the 10th Bunten Exhibition. The same year, he moved into Kodai-ji
temple in Kyoto as a lay monk. In 1918, he created the with Tsuchida Bakusen and three other young nihonga artists from the Kyoto area.
The aim of the group was to revitalize what they perceived to be stagnation in the nihonga techniques through a fusion of Yamato-e
, early ukiyoe and the Shijo School
’s use of delicate lines with the techniques and tenets of western art, while maintaining the use of subjects traditional to Japanese art. The society held its own exhibitions (Kokuten), and at the second of these in 1919, Murakami displayed “Kiyohime Crossing the Hidaka River”, which is regarded as one of his representative works. The painting is now recognized by the Japanese government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs
as an Important Cultural Property
.
In 1920, at the 3rd Kokuten Exhibition, Murakami displayed a nude portrait, in a style reminiscent of Indian painting
. It is uncertain if the subject is a bodhisattva
or a woman, and likewise the style of the work transcends both nihonga and yōga. However, the work remained highly controversial during his lifetime, and lead to his gradual estraignment from the mainstream art world. In 1923, due to the worsening of his chronic asthma
, Murakami left Kyoto for Ashiya, Hyōgo
. He continued paint on religious themes. In 1927, he returned to live in Kobe. In Murakami’s final years, as his health continued to worsen, his paintings became smaller and smaller, and his use of color fainter and fainter, until his final works were almost monochromatic. He died in 1939.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
painter and illustrator, noted for his numerous Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
subjects and advancement in the techniques of nihonga
Nihonga
or literally "Japanese-style paintings" is a term used to describe paintings that have been made in accordance with traditional Japanese artistic conventions, techniques and materials...
(Japanese-style) painting in the early 20th century.
Biography
Murakami was born in OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
as Takeda Shinichi. His parents divorced when he was a child and he was raised in Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, taking his maternal grandfather’s name in 1904. In 1903, he entered the Kyoto City School of Arts and Crafts, graduating in 1907 and entering the Kyoto City Art College (present day Kyoto City University of Arts
Kyoto City University of Arts
is a municipal university of general art and music art in Kyoto, Japan. Established in 1880, it is the oldest university of art in Japan. Among its faculty and graduates have been 16 recipients of the Order of Culture, 24 members of the Japan Art Academy, and 10 artists who have been designated...
) in 1909, from which he graduated in 1913. His work was accepted for display at the 5th Bunten Exhibition in 1911, and in 1916, he won a special prize for his first Buddhist-themed work at the 10th Bunten Exhibition. The same year, he moved into Kodai-ji
Kodai-ji
, formally identified as , is a temple of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan—the largest subtemple of the Kennin-ji branch. It was established in 1606 by Nene , the widow of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, to pray for her late husband...
temple in Kyoto as a lay monk. In 1918, he created the with Tsuchida Bakusen and three other young nihonga artists from the Kyoto area.
The aim of the group was to revitalize what they perceived to be stagnation in the nihonga techniques through a fusion of Yamato-e
Yamato-e
Yamato-e is a style of Japanese painting inspired by Tang Dynasty paintings and developed in the late Heian period. It is considered the classical Japanese style...
, early ukiyoe and the Shijo School
Shijo school
The Shijō school , also known as the Maruyama-Shijō school, was an offshoot school of the Maruyama school of Japanese painting founded by Maruyama Ōkyo, and his former student Matsumura Goshun in the late 18th century. This school was one of several that made up the larger Kyoto school...
’s use of delicate lines with the techniques and tenets of western art, while maintaining the use of subjects traditional to Japanese art. The society held its own exhibitions (Kokuten), and at the second of these in 1919, Murakami displayed “Kiyohime Crossing the Hidaka River”, which is regarded as one of his representative works. The painting is now recognized by the Japanese government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs
Agency for Cultural Affairs
The is a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education . It was set up in 1968 to promote Japanese arts and culture. As of April 2007, it is led by the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Tamotsu Aoki....
as an Important Cultural Property
Important Cultural Properties of Japan
The term is often shortened into just are items officially already classified as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs and judged to be of particular importance to the Japanese people....
.
In 1920, at the 3rd Kokuten Exhibition, Murakami displayed a nude portrait, in a style reminiscent of Indian painting
Indian painting
Indian painting has a very long history, although the seasonally humid Indian climate was difficult for the long-term preservation of paintings and there are far fewer survivals than of other forms of Indian art. The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the...
. It is uncertain if the subject is a bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
or a woman, and likewise the style of the work transcends both nihonga and yōga. However, the work remained highly controversial during his lifetime, and lead to his gradual estraignment from the mainstream art world. In 1923, due to the worsening of his chronic asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, Murakami left Kyoto for Ashiya, Hyōgo
Ashiya, Hyogo
is a city founded on November 10, 1940 located in Hyōgo, Japan, between the cities of Osaka and Kobe.-Demographics:As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 93,094 and the density of 5,030 persons per km². The total area is 18.47 km²...
. He continued paint on religious themes. In 1927, he returned to live in Kobe. In Murakami’s final years, as his health continued to worsen, his paintings became smaller and smaller, and his use of color fainter and fainter, until his final works were almost monochromatic. He died in 1939.