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Ink on paper

with a signed box

Showa - Heisei

D34.5cm H146cm

This work is by Kenkichi Sugimoto, a Western-style painter and graphic designer. He received the acquaintance of Master Kaiun Kamituskasa, abbot of Kannon-in Temple of Todaiji, and had the old storehouseof Kannon-in Temple used as his studio, where he painted scenes from the Nara area. Yaichi Aizu(poet and professor at Waseda University), Taikichi Irie (photographer), Kokuta Suda (Western-style painter), and others frequented the studio and interacted with him. Later, they formed the Seven People's Association (Taikichi Irie, Kaiun Kamitsukasa, Kyuju Kumagai, Kenkichi Sugimoto, Hikaru Suzuki, Kokuta Suda, and Koichi Mizushima) and devoted themselves to art and culture in Nara. The calligraphy in the center of the painting is a Yuishin chorusfrom the Kegonkyou Sutra. The poem teaches that "all things, all events, all people, even the Buddha, are nothing more than images created by the mindof each one of us. Yuishin is derived from Buddhism, which is a universalphilosophy consisting of three elements: science, philosophy, and religion. 

Kenkichi Sugimoto

1905 - 2004

Western-style painter, illustrator, and graphic designer. Born in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. Spent his childhood in Tsushima City. In 1925, he went to Kyoto to study under Kishida Ryusei. In 1949, he was invited by Master Kaiun, the abbot of Kannon-in Temple of Todaiji Temple, to use the old storehouse of Kannon-in Temple as his studio, where he painted scenes from Nara. In 1971, he announced his retirement from the world of painting (Kokuga-kai). In 1971, he announced his retirement from the world of painting (Kokuga-kai), but continued to create works as a painter.