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Update:December 7, 2017

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Ryusei Kishida and Sadao Tsubaki

27th January (Sat.) - 25th March (Sun.), 2018
Closed on Mondays

Admission Fee:
Adults: 1000 yen
College students: 800 yen
Elementary / Junior high school / high school students: 500 yen

Held in Gallery 3, 4

Organized by:
The Miyagi Museum of Art / Kahoku Shimpo Pub., Co.

Ryusei KISHIDA (1891-1929) was born in Ginza, Tokyo. He originally studied oil paintings under Seiki Kuroda at the Hakubakai (White Horse Society) Art School, but after being influenced by post-impressionism through the literary journal Shirakaba (White Birch), he established the Hyuzankai (Fusain Society) with other young artists in 1912. However, Kishida felt unsatisfied with just this new expression of painting and in 1915, he founded the group Sodosha where his relentless pursuit of realism inspired other young artists.

On the other hand, Sadao TSUBAKI (1896-1957) was born in Yonezawa City in Yamagata Prefecture. Influenced by his deceased older brother to start watercolor painting, Tsubaki aspired to become an artist early on and moved to Tokyo in 1914 at the age of 18. Tsubaki was deeply moved by Kishida after viewing his solo exhibit and decided to become his pupil. He then became one of the founding members of Sodosha at the age of 19 and left for Kugenuma in Kanagawa after Kishida moved there, as he was particularly close to Kishida even in comparison to others within Sodosha. In this sense, Tsubaki is considered to be an artist that was heavily influenced by Kishida.

This exhibition will highlight the relationship between the two artists as well as Tsubaki’s development after Kishida’s death. By displaying both Kishida and Tsubaki’s paintings, their individual styles will become more apparent, and visitors will be able to experience the early days of modern Japanese art.

In addition to oil painting masterpieces such as Kishida’s Reiko portraits and Tsubaki’s large Nihonga works from the artists will also be shown. Approximately 170 pieces will be on display. This exhibition marks the first time that the Miyagi Museum of Art will present artwork from either Kishida, a leading artist of the Taisho period, or Tsubaki, an artist with a connection to the Tohoku region, so we hope you take this opportunity to visit.

Chapter 1

TSUBAKI, Sadao. Artificial Hill of Red Soil, 1915,
Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum

KISHIDA, Ryusei. Portrait of Yoshio Koya
(Portrait of a Man Holding a Plant)
, 1916,
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

KISHIDA, Ryusei. Young Girl (Reiko Standing), 1923.
The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama

TSUBAKI, Sadao. Seated Kikuko, 1922,
The Hiratsuka Museum of Art

Chapter 2

TSUBAKI, Sadao. Reiko in the Style of Hanshan, 1922-23,
Kasama Nichido Museum of Art

KISHIDA, Ryusei. Still Life, 1955,
Yamagata Museum of Art

Chapter 3

TSUBAKI Sadao. Combing Hair, 1931
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

TSUBAKI, Sadao. White Gourd and Eggplants, 1942,
Yamagata Museum of Art

TSUBAKI, Sadao. Snow-topped Mt. Myogi, 1945,
The Miyagi Museum of Art

TSUBAKI, Sadao. Two Grandchildren, 1956,
Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum