Itō Hōji
2005
Donated by the artist
This painting depicts the interior of Seienkaku, the villa adjacent to and owned by the Homma Museum of Art, as well as its garden as seen from the window. It was donated to the museum on its 60th anniversary.
Born in Fukuoka, Itō Hōji (1938–) is a nihonga painter still active today. He graduated from the Japanese painting department at Tama Art University in 1961, and continued to work while teaching. His work was selected for exhibition at the 51st Inten Exhibition. Since then, he has received numerous awards, which include the Nihon Bijutsuin Prize (Taikan Award) in 1982 and 1983. He was also nominated as a member of Nihon Bijutsuin art coterie, which comprise the leading artists of the contemporary Japanese painting world.
Itō was awarded the Japanese Culture Minister Award in 1993, and the Prime Minister Award in 1996. In 2020, he became a member of the Japan Art Academy. His work vividly depicts gardens and Buddhist statues in temples, expressing the beauty of Japan in a fresh, original light.