Shimomura Kanzan

A Japanese painter. His family had served the Kishu Tokugawa clan as Kotsuzumi (small drum) players for generations, but after the Meiji Restoration, his father Toyojiro took up seal engraving and brought him to Wakayama. Kanzan was born on April 10, 1873, as his third son. His real name was Seizaburo. In 1881 (Meiji 14), he moved with his family to Tokyo, where he was taught painting by his grandfather's friend Fujishima Tsuneoki, and then studied under Kano Hogai through Tsuneoki's introduction. In 1886, with the help of Hogai, he became a pupil of Hashimoto Gaho. Hogai recognized the boy's extraordinary talent and is thought to have entrusted his future to his younger colleague Gaho. In 1889, he entered the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, which opened that same year, and was mentored by Okakura Tenshin. After graduating in 1894, he was appointed assistant professor at the school. He showed progress in particular by studying the techniques of Buddhist painting and Yamato-e painting, and his graduation work included "Flowers of Kumano." In 1898, when Tenshin retired from his position as principal due to the so-called Art School Uprising, he accompanied him and joined the Japan Art Institute, which had been founded by Tenshin and his comrades, as a full member. Representative works from this period include "Jai," "Nichiren Shonin," and "Dew at Ohara." In 1901 (Meiji 34), he was asked to become a professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, and in 1903 he was sent to England to study watercolor painting, touring Europe in 1905 before returning to Japan. In 1907, when the Ministry of Education Art Exhibition (Bunten) was established, he was recommended as a member of the judging committee, and his work "Autumn Among the Trees" was submitted to the first exhibition, where it was highly praised. In 1914 (Taisho 3), he re-established the Japan Art Institute together with Yokoyama Taikan, Yasuda Yukihiko and others. There, he produced a succession of masterpieces, including "White Fox," "Yoroboshi," and "Spring Rain." In 1917, he was appointed an Imperial Household Artist, and the following year, in 1918, he was recommended as a member of the Imperial Art Academy, but he declined. His work was characterized by outstanding technique and a fresh interpretation of the classics. He passed away on May 10, 1930.

[Minoru Harada]

"Complete Collection of Modern Japanese Paintings 18: Shimomura Kanzan" by Noma Seiroku (1963, Kodansha)" ▽ "Shimomura Kanzan" edited by Hosono Masanobu (1972, Shibundo)" ▽ "Contemporary Japanese Art 1: Shimomura Kanzan and Others" commentary by Nagai Shinichi and Namba Sentaro (1976, Shueisha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本画家。家は代々紀州徳川家に幸流(こうりゅう)の小鼓(こつづみ)で仕えていたが、明治維新後、父豊次郎は篆刻(てんこく)を業とし和歌山に引き込んだ。観山はその三男として明治6年4月10日に生まれる。本名は晴三郎。1881年（明治14）一家とともに東京に移り、祖父の友人藤島常興に絵の手ほどきを受け、ついで常興の紹介で狩野芳崖(かのうほうがい)に師事、1886年には芳崖の配慮で橋本雅邦(はしもとがほう)の門に入った。少年の並々でない才能を見抜いた芳崖が、その前途を年下の僚友雅邦に託したものと思われる。1889年、この年開校した東京美術学校に入学、岡倉天心の薫陶を受け、1894年に卒業すると同校の助教授にあげられた。とくに仏画、大和絵(やまとえ)などの手法を研究して進境をみせ、卒業制作に『熊野観花(ゆやかんか)』がある。1898年、いわゆる美術学校騒動によって天心が校長の職を退くと行(こう)をともにし、天心を中心に同志によって創設された日本美術院に正員として加わった。『闍維(じゃい)』『日蓮上人(にちれんしょうにん)』『大原の露』などがこの時期を代表する。1901年（明治34）要請されて東京美術学校教授となり、1903年に水彩画研究のためイギリスに派遣され、1905年ヨーロッパを回って帰国。1907年、文部省美術展覧会（文展）が創設されると審査委員に推され、その第1回展に『木の間の秋』を出品して賞賛された。1914年（大正3）、横山大観、安田靫彦(やすだゆきひこ)らと日本美術院を再興。そこに『白狐(びゃっこ)』『弱法師(よろぼし)』『春雨』などの力作を次々に発表した。1917年帝室技芸員を命ぜられ、翌1918年には帝国美術院会員に推されたがこれを辞退した。卓抜な技法と清新な古典解釈がその画業を一貫している。昭和5年5月10日没。

［原田　実］

『野間清六著『日本近代絵画全集18　下村観山』（1963・講談社）』▽『細野正信編『下村観山』（1972・至文堂）』▽『永井信一・難波専太郎解説『現代日本の美術1　下村観山他』（1976・集英社）』

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