Kazumasa Nakagawa1893~1991 中川一政

Nakagawa Kazumasa (1893-1991) was a Japanese yoga (Western-style) painter, poet, and essayist born in the Hongo district of Tokyo and active until his death at age 97. He emerged on the art scene in 1914 when his work at the Tatsumi Art Exhibition was praised by Kishida Ryusei, and in 1922 he joined Kosugi Hoan and others in founding the Shunyokai art association. A self-taught artist who proudly identified with the independent (zaiya) school, he worked across oil painting, Japanese-style painting, calligraphy, ceramics, book design, and essay writing. He received the Order of Culture in 1975 and was named an Honorary Citizen of Tokyo in 1984. Memorial museums dedicated to him stand in Manazuru (Kanagawa) and Hakusan (Ishikawa).