Tsuji Kakô (1870 -1931)Nihonga
Poet in the mountainsSigned: Kakô saku
Seals: Tsuji Yoshikage, Shishun
Technique: colours on silk 110.5 x 41.4
Date: c. 1910
Mounting: dark blue brocade and red brown silk
197 x 54
Box: signed double box
Condition: Waterstains at the bottom of mounting
Kakô was one the most important painters of the modern Kyoto school. Kôno Bairei (1844-95) taught both him and Takeuchi Seihô (1864-1942), who eclipsed Kakô during his lifetime. In my opinion though, Kakô was the better artist, more innovative and daring. The tide is turning now and his art is getting the recognition it deserves.
Kakô was born in Kyoto. His father was a Yûzen textile artisan, who encouraged his son to pursue a career in painting. He became a pupil of Bairei in 1880. From 1899 on he studied Zen under the Zen master Sôen Mokurai (1854-1930) at the Kennin-ji. Zen became quite an important element in his work. He served as director of the Kyoto Municipal School of Fine Arts and Crafts, adjudicator for the Teiten and several Kyoto exhibition groups and up to 1920 he was a frequent exhibitor and prize-winner at the Bunten.
Reference:
Kyoto 2006
Berry & Morioka ‘99 p.40-53 (# 29-45)
Conant p. 327 (# 117-119)
Aburai p. 253-254
Roberts p.189
Price: SOLD