Katayama Nanpū

Katayama Nanpū (1887-1980) was a Japanese-style painter active in the Taisho and Showa periods. He was born in Kumamoto Prefecture. His first name was Kumatsugu. At the age of 24, he moved to Tokyo to study under the historical painter Takahashi Hiroko. The following year, he was awarded the third prize at the Tatsumi Gakkai Exhibition, but was unsuccessful at the Bunten Exhibition for four consecutive years. In 1913, he exhibited “Around Frost Moon” at the 7th Bunten Exhibition, which was strongly recommended by Yokoyama Taikan and won the second prize. When Taikan withdrew from the jury and reestablished the Nihon Bijutsu-in (Japan Art Institute) due to a conflict of opinion, he agreed with Taikan and became a member of the institute in 1924. In 1946, the Bijutsu-in accepted his request to participate in the Nitten exhibition, and he became a juror and then a counselor from 1946 onward, becoming a member of the Japan Art Academy in 1958. He was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit in 1963 and the Order of Cultural Merit in 1968.