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Kenji Yoshioka

よしおか けんじ

Yoshioka Kenji

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1906-10-27 （Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan）
Died
1990-07-15 age 83
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan → Manchuria (northeastern China) → North China → Central China → Tokyo, Japan

Career

Occupations
Nihonga painter, painter, art educator, professor
Active Years
1930-1986
Affiliations
Yamajusha (Sanjusha), New Nihonga Research Association, New Artists' Association (Shin Bijutsu-jin Kyokai), Army Art Association, Sōzō Bijutsu (Creative Art Group), Tokyo University of the Arts (Professor)
Memberships
Yamajusha (Sanjusha), New Nihonga Research Association, New Artists' Association (Shin Bijutsu-jin Kyokai), Sōzō Bijutsu (Creative Art Group), Army Art Association
Influenced By
Yoshioka Kado, Noda Kyūho

Awards

11th Teiten — Special Prize
1930
Work: Nara's Deer
Organization: Teiten (Imperial Exhibition)
Result: 受賞
14th Teiten — Special Prize
1933
Work: Repose
Organization: Teiten (Imperial Exhibition)
Result: 受賞
Japan Art Academy Prize
1971
Organization: Japan Art Academy
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Nara's Deer

1930 Nihonga (Japanese painting)

A Nihonga painting on paper depicting deer in Nara. One of his early signature works, it won the Special Prize at the 11th Teiten.

animalsnature

Woman with a Chair

1931 Nihonga (Japanese painting)

Portrays a woman with a chair in a bold composition. Held by the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.

figuremodernization

Repose

1933 Nihonga (Japanese painting)

Exhibited at the 14th Teiten where it won a Special Prize. Noted for its quiet depiction of a moment of rest.

figuretranquility

Tropical Plants and Moths

1935 Nihonga (byōbu / folding screen)

A two-panel folding screen featuring tropical plants and moths, composed with a decorative approach.

plantsdecorative motifs

Horse

1939 Nihonga (Japanese painting)

A large work centered on an animal (horse), held by the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Noted for its dynamic depiction.

animalsvitality

Camel

1939 Nihonga (Japanese painting)

Depicts an exotic animal (camel). Held by the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.

animalsexoticism

Icefield

1940 Nihonga (byōbu / folding screen)

A six-panel folding screen depicting a vast icefield; a landscape-focused composition.

landscapeexpanse of nature

Bombing West of Kalijati

1942 War record painting (Nihonga)

One of his wartime paintings produced during World War II. It was confiscated by GHQ and later held (on indefinite loan from the US) by the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.

wardocumentary/record

Takachiho Landing Unit Attacks Leyte Airfield

1945 War record painting (Nihonga)

A large-scale wartime painting depicting military action. Created as a war record, it was later preserved in museum collections as a historical document.

warmilitary

Sho (Flight)

1986 Nihonga (Japanese painting)

One of his late major works. Known for its emphasis on movement and spatial composition.

flightlate-period style

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Bold forms combined with decorative sensibilityA style that integrates Western perspective and expression with traditional Nihonga techniques
Recurring Motifs
animals (deer, horses, camels, birds)waterfowlwar and documentary scenesplants (tropical flora)landscapes

Legacy

Kenji Yoshioka pursued an innovative approach to Nihonga by incorporating Western expression while respecting traditional techniques. Recognized with prizes at the Teiten and the 1971 Japan Art Academy Prize, his wartime record paintings and their confiscation and later return have made him a notable figure in postwar art history. He also contributed to training younger artists as a professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts.

Museums

  • The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Kyoto, Japan
  • The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo Tokyo, Japan
  • The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (holds wartime paintings) Tokyo, Japan
  • Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
  • Toyama Prefectural Museum Toyama, Japan
  • Saku City Museum of Modern Art Saku, Nagano, Japan
  • Ueda City Museum Ueda, Nagano, Japan

Academic Societies

  • New Nihonga Research Association
  • New Artists' Association (Shin Bijutsu-jin Kyokai)
  • Sōzō Bijutsu (Creative Art Group)
  • Army Art Association

Archives

  • Collections of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (including wartime paintings)
  • Collections of The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

Trivia

  • He won the Special Prize at the 11th Teiten early in his career for 'Nara's Deer'.
  • Some wartime paintings he produced were confiscated by GHQ but were returned from the United States in 1970 and are held by the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo on indefinite loan.
  • He received the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1971.
  • He served as a professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts and retired in 1969.