Japan Art Academy

It is an honorary institution that gives preferential treatment to artists who have made outstanding artistic achievements, and is administered by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, an external bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. In addition to the president, it is made up of over 100 members (with a total of 120), and is divided into Section 1 (arts, 56 members), Section 2 (literature, 37 members), and Section 3 (music, theater, and dance, 27 members). Members receive a pension for life, and new members are appointed by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology upon the recommendation of the section committees.

Its origins lie in the Art Judging Committee of the Ministry of Education Art Exhibition (Bunten), which was established in 1907 (Meiji 40), and in 1919 (Taisho 8) it established the new Imperial Art Academy, with Mori Ogai as its president and 13 artists as its members. In 1937 (Showa 12), it became the Imperial Art Academy, and increased its membership in the fields of literature, music, and theater. After World War II, in 1947 (Showa 22), it was renamed the Japan Art Academy. Its art department ran the Japan Art Exhibition (Nitten) following the Teiten and Bunten exhibitions until 1957, and had a great influence on the art world as the organizer of the official exhibition. In 1941, it was decided to award the Imperial Art Academy Prize (Japan Art Academy Prize) every year to those who had made contributions to the promotion of art, and since 1949, the Japan Art Academy Imperial Prize has been awarded to the most outstanding of these. It is located at 1-30 Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo.

[Shinichi Nagai February 17, 2021]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

芸術上の功績顕著な芸術家を優遇するための栄誉機関で、文部科学省の外局である文化庁が所管する。院長のほか会員100人余（定員は120）で組織され、第一部（美術＝定員56）、第二部（文芸＝定員37）、第三部（音楽・演劇・舞踊＝定員27）に分かれている。会員は終身制で年金が支給され、新会員は部会の推薦によって文部科学大臣が任命する。

　1907年（明治40）に発足した文部省美術展覧会（文展）の美術審査委員会がその母体で、1919年（大正8）新たに帝国美術院を設立、森鴎外(おうがい)を院長に美術家13名を会員に任命した。1937年（昭和12）には帝国芸術院となり、文芸・音楽・演劇の分野に会員を増やし、第二次世界大戦後の1947年（昭和22）に日本芸術院と改称された。その美術部門は1957年まで帝展・文展に引き続き日本美術展覧会（日展）を運営し、官展の主催者として美術界に大きな影響を与えた。1941年から芸術奨励のため功績のあった者に毎年帝国芸術院賞（日本芸術院賞）を贈ることが定められ、1949年以降は、そのもっとも優れた者に日本芸術院恩賜賞が贈られている。東京都台東(たいとう)区上野公園1-30にある。

［永井信一　2021年2月17日］

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