Sakakibara Shiho (1887-1971), one of the greatest masters of the Japanese painting world, never stopped painting works of flowers and birds throughout his life. His flower and bird paintings are clear, pure and vivid, and continue to be popular attractions.
Born in Kyoto, Shiho studied under Takeuchi Seiho and other masters at the Kyoto Municipal School of Arts (Kyoto City Bijutsu Gakko). After graduating, he played an important role in Bunten (Ministry of Education Art Exhibition), but developed doubts over the judgment process for Bunten exhibitions. Shiho subsequently established the Association for the Creation of New Japanese-style Painting (Kokuga Sosaku Kyokai) in 1918, together with Tsuchida Bakusen, Murakami Kagaku and others. For the association’s exhibition, Kokuten, he released a series of flower and bird paintings. The works were indicative of his ambition, and all of them were based on his intense study of Western painting and Chinese flower and bird painting styles. His efforts made great contribution to the development of Japanese painting. The works painted in his youth were full of the dynamism and energy under the influence of Western paintings, but those in his later years expressed his own tasteful suiboku-ga technique, moving away from colors. The quality of his works is extremely high and his skill is unquestioned. However, because he had been away from the Japanese art world for such a long time, his name has recently begun moving into obscurity.
This exhibition commemorates the 45th anniversary of his death. It will show his masterpieces from his early to later years, as well as works by his associates who studied with Shiho in the Association. We hope you will take the opportunity to learn new aspects of Sakakibara Shiho, a great master of Japanese painting.

There is a traditional Japanese expression that roughly translates as follows: “She stands as if she were Chinese peony, sits as if tree peony, and walks as if lily.” This is a metaphor for the beautiful figures and behavior of women. This exhibition will feature full-blooming peony flowers and beautiful women.