Okada Saburōsuke

In this Japanese name, the family name is Okada.
Okada Saburōsuke (1906)

Okada Saburōsuke (Japanese: 岡田 三郎助; 12 January 1869, Saga - 23 September 1939, Tokyo) was a Japanese painter in the Yōga style and a Professor at the "Tōkyō Bijutsu Gakkō" (School of Fine Arts); precursor of the Tokyo University of the Arts.

Biography

His parents were vassals of the samurai Nabeshima clan.[1] At the age of eighteen Okada Masazō adopted him to be his heir. He attended a school that taught western-style painting, under the tutelage of Soyama Yukihiko (曽山幸彦, 1860–1892).[2] In 1891, he became a member of the "Meiji Bijutsu-kai" (Fine Arts Society) and, after Soyama's premature death, worked with Horie Masaaki (堀江正章, 1852–1932), completing his studies in 1893.[1]

That same year, he came under the influence of Kuroda Seiki and Kume Keiichiro, who had just returned from France.[2] They introduced him the Barbizon school and the concept of plein-air painting. In 1896, he became an Assistant Professor of Yōga art at the Tōkyō Bijutsu Gakkō. He was also one of the founding members of "Hakuba-kai" (White Horse Society);[1] a loosely organized artists' association, supposedly named after their favorite type of sake.

Later, the Ministry of Culture awarded him a stipend to study in France, where he worked with Raphaël Collin.[2] When he returned in 1902, he was named a full Professor. Shortly after, he married the daughter of playwright Osanai Kaoru. After 1907, he served as a juror for the annual art exhibition held by the Ministry (the "Mombushō Tenrankai"). In 1912, he and Fujishima Takeji founded the "Hongo Institute for Western Painting".[2] Seven years later, he was elected a member of the "Teikoku Bijutsu-in" (Imperial Academy of Fine Arts) and was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure.[1]

In 1930, the Ministry of Culture sent him to Europe to speak with Hasegawa Kiyoshi and explore the possibility of staging an exhibition of modern Japanese art. Four years later, he was appointed an Imperial Household Artist. In 1937, he became one of the first to be honored with the newly established Order of Culture.[2]

Selected paintings

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brief biography @ the Lavenberg Collection.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Brief biography @ Floating World Gallery.

Further reading

External links

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