Tōho Shiotsuki

Shiotsuki Tōho (塩月桃甫, February 27, 1886 – January 30, 1954), also known by his birth name Nagano Zenkichi, was a Japanese painter from Miyazaki. From 1921 to 1946, he taught art in Taiwan, and his surviving works and images show a great deal of depiction and concern for Taiwan’s indigenous peoples.
==Introduction==
===Early life and Education===
Shiotsuki Tōho was born into a poor farming family in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, and in 1908, he became the adopted son-in-law of Denjiro Shiotsuki and changed his name to Shiotsuki Tōho.. He graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1912 and taught in Osaka and Matsuyama before adopting the name "Tōho."
===Career in Taiwan===
In 1921, Tōho arrived in Taiwan to teach art, first at Taihoku Higher School (now National Taiwan Normal University) and then at Taipei First High School (now Jian Guo Senior High School). Unlike other Japanese teachers who wore official uniforms and exuded an air of authority, Tōho dressed in western-style suits and hats and even refused to wear official uniforms himself, setting himself apart and earning the nickname "Western beggar" from his students.
===Teaching style and artistic style===
In his teaching, Tōho emphasized “using one's brain” to create art, developing one's individual style, and emphasizing free thought and creativity. His artistic style was characterized by simple and bold lines, bright and daring colors, and a style reminiscent of the Fauvism movement. During his time teaching art in Taiwan, Tōho left behind many paintings depicting the scenery of Taiwan, with indigenous peoples being a common subject. This was likely due to his appreciation of primitive, pure, and natural landscapes. He was also the first painter to introduce oil painting techniques and materials to Taiwan, becoming a pioneer in the field of oil painting in Taiwan.
==Founding of Taiwan Exhibition==
In 1927, Shiotsuki Tōho collaborated with Kinichiro Ishikawa, Gobara Koto, and Seigai Kinoshita to establish the Taiwan Art Exhibition (commonly known as "Tai-ten"), and personally participated in the review of the exhibited works. His contributions had a profound impact on the later development of art in Taiwan.
In 1930, the Wushe Incident broke out, during which Japanese military police suppressed and persecuted the indigenous Seediq people with violent means such as poison gas. After the incident, Tōho created a painting called "Mother," depicting a mother wearing indigenous clothing with three frightened children by her side. "Mother" was exhibited at the sixth Taiwan Exhibition held in 1932. Through this painting, Tōho expressed his deep sorrow and sympathy for the indigenous people who were brutally killed, while silently expressing his accusations and opposition to the Japanese colonial government.
==Life after leaving Taiwan==
After World War II ended in 1945, the Japanese in Taiwan were gradually repatriated to Japan. Tōho returned to Miyazaki in March 1946.Due to luggage restrictions, he was unable to bring his works created in Taiwan back to Japan and he decided leave these in Taiwan. Later, most of his works were lost due to various natural and man-made disasters.
After returning to Japan, Shiotsuki Tōho worked as a lecturer in several institutions and was involved in the design and illustration of books and novels. He also continued to create oil paintings. In October 1949, he held his first solo exhibition in his hometown of Miyazaki after returning to Japan.In January 1954, Shiotsuki Tōho passed away from mitral valve disease at the age of 68.
Category:1886 births
Category:People from Miyazaki Prefecture
Category:Japanese people
Category:Japanese painters
Category:1954 deaths