This is an original handwritten oil painting of "Lily" by Ikuma Nakagawa. It bears his signature, the title of the work, and a seal. The lily is delicately, beautifully, and vividly depicted, allowing viewers to feel Nakagawa Ikuma's unique atmosphere and worldview. It is a truly magnificent and outstanding piece.
**Work Dimensions:** 31.5 × 40.5 cm**Frame Dimensions:** 48.2 × 57.5 cm
Painter Ikuma Nakagawa was born in Hongo, Tokyo, in 1893 (Meiji 26). During his youth, he demonstrated talent in literature, publishing poetry and prose in literary magazines and newspapers, and receiving awards. However, inspired by the works of Van Gogh and Cézanne introduced through the literary magazine "Shirakaba," which he avidly read, he began to paint. His first work, "Sake Warehouse," created in 1914 (Taisho 3), and his second work, "Frost Melting Road," painted the following year, were both selected for the Tatsuuma Art Society Exhibition, a gateway for new artists at the time, and he won second prize. This success led him to decide to pursue a career as a painter.
In 1915 (Taisho 4), Kishida Ryūsei, who was a judge at the Tatsuuma Art Society, organized the Sōtōsha, and Nakagawa participated. He continued to paint diligently alongside Ryūsei, exhibiting works at the Nika Exhibition, and honing his craft. Seven years later, in 1922 (Taisho 11), he joined the founding of the Shunyōkai, an organization formed by the Sōtōsha and former members of the Imperial Exhibition Western Painting Department, and he became a leading artist within the group.
In 1949 (Showa 24), Nakagawa established an atelier in Manazuru Town, Kanagawa Prefecture. Over the next 20 years, he painted scenes of the fishing village Fukuura at the base of the Manazuru Peninsula, as well as landscapes of Seto Inland Sea areas such as Onomichi and Shimozui, and scenes from Sakurajima, Nagasaki, France, and Spain. Later, he shifted his focus to Hakone, repeatedly depicting the majestic Mount Komagatake. Near the end of his life, at nearly 90 years old, he painted Mount Komagatake in Hakone on a large 100-goal canvas. This powerful work is highly regarded as a representative piece of his series depicting mountains.
His long-standing contributions to the Japanese art world have been highly praised, and in 1975 (Showa 50), he was awarded the Order of Culture as a Person of Cultural Merit. In his later years, he created numerous still-life paintings of roses, sunflowers, and other subjects within his atelier. These works, characterized by vibrant colors, continue to captivate many art enthusiasts today.
In addition to oil paintings, Nakagawa produced numerous works in ink wash, mineral color, calligraphy, and ceramics. As he established his artistic style, he incorporated the profound spirituality of Eastern art and subjective expression into his work. His dynamic style features bold brushwork, vivid primary colors, large-scale compositions, and a highly subjective, energetic approach.
**Brief Chronology of Ikuma Nakagawa:**
- 1893 (Meiji 26): Born in Hongo, Tokyo.- 1907 (Meiji 40): At age 14, entered Kanda Nishikijo Middle School (old system).- 1910 (Meiji 43): At age 17, submitted and published tanka poems in the literary magazine "Sōsaku," edited by Mokutaka Wakyō.- 1911 (Meiji 45): At age 18, his short story "Shii no Ki" won an award in "Manchōhō."- 1913 (Taisho 2): At age 20, published tanka in "Waseda Bungaku."- 1914 (Taisho 3): At age 21, exhibited and was selected for his first work "Sake Warehouse" at the 14th Tatsuuma Art Society Exhibition.- 1915 (Taisho 4): At age 22, exhibited "Frost Melting Road," "Prisoner’s Side," and "Girl Portrait," winning second prize. Also participated in the founding of the Sōtōsha organized by Ryūsei Kishida.- 1922 (Taisho 11): At age 29, participated as a visiting member in the founding of the Shunyōkai along with Ryūsei Kishida, Ryuuzaburou Umehara, Tetsugorou Manno, Tsuruzou Ishii, and Souhachi Kimura; became a full member the following year.- 1925 (Taisho 14): At age 32, published a translated book "Gohō" from Arusu.- 1926 (Taisho 15): At age 33, published "Ikuma Nakagawa Art Collection" through Atelier-sha.- 1933 (Showa 8): At age 40, began serializing "Jinsei Gekijō Seishun-hen" (original by Shirō Ozaki) in Tōshin, providing illustrations.- 1938 (Showa 13): At age 45, began serializing "Ishida Mitsunari" (original by Shirō Ozaki) in Tōshin evening edition, with illustrations.- 1943 (Showa 18): At age 50, held a watercolor and ink exhibition with Tsuruzou Ishii at Nanzen-ji and Muirian in Kyoto.- 1949 (Showa 24): At age 56, established an atelier in Manazuru Town, Kanagawa, and encountered the scenery of Fukuura.- 1953 (Showa 28): Traveled via New York to Brazil, then visited cities in France, England, and Italy over the following year.- 1960 (Showa 35): At age 67, held a four-person exhibition with Yoshirō Nagayo, Ikuma Nakagawa, Sōkō Mushi, and Ryuuzaburou Umehara at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi. His work "Fishing Village Kaihō" was donated to the Imperial Palace by the National Governors' Association.- 1961 (Showa 36): At age 68, performed a ceremonial recitation of a poem (theme "Young") as a court poet during the Imperial Court's New Year poetry gathering.- 1964 (Showa 39): At age 71, visited China as a representative of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association upon invitation from the China International Cultural Exchange Association.- 1967 (Showa 42): At age 74, contributed illustrations for Jiro Ohara's novel "The Century of the Emperor" (serialized in Asahi Shimbun). Began painting in Hakone around this time.- 1975 (Showa 50): At age 82, visited China as an honorary leader of the Japan Art Delegation for cultural exchange with China. Awarded the Order of Culture. Started serializing "My Resume" in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.- 1986 (Showa 61): At age 93, published the complete works of Ikuma Nakagawa (10 volumes) by Chūō Kōron-sha. The Nakagawa Ikuma Memorial Museum opened in Matsutō City (now Hakusan City), Ishikawa Prefecture, his mother's hometown.- 1989 (Heisei 1): At age 96, the Nakagawa Ikuma Museum in Manazuru Town opened.- 1990 (Heisei 2): At age 97, held a two-person exhibition of contemporary Japanese painters (Toshū Okumura and Ikuma Nakagawa) at the Musée Cernavare in Paris.- 1991 (Heisei 3): Passed away at Yugawara Kōsei Nenkin Hospital due to cardiopulmonary failure at age 97 years and 11 months.