In 2023, Kyoto City University of Arts relocated its entire campus to the east side of JR Kyoto Station. Kyoto City University of Arts has relocated its campus several times since its establishment as Kyoto Prefectural Painting School in 1880, and this relocation inscribes a new page in the history of the school.

The history of Kyoto City University of Arts has been woven by Kyoto painters who entrusted the future of Japanese painting to the school. Takeuchi Seiho, Yamamoto Shunkyo, and others taught there, and its alumni include numerous painters such as Tsuchida Bakusen, Murakami Kagaku, and Ono Chikkyo. The history of the school exists alongside the challenges faced by painters in their younger days before later becoming masters who shone brightly in the Kyoto art world, as well as the works of artists who became teachers and took pride in representing Kyoto.

This exhibition reflects on the current university’s predecessors—the Kyoto Prefectural School of Painting and Kyoto City School of Arts and Crafts—and its development in the modern era as the Kyoto City School of Painting through various documents and introduces the masterpieces of Nihonga nurtured at these schools.

Exhibition Highlights
1. More than 40 masters introduced in one place
This is a rare opportunity to see the early works of masters such as graduation pieces and art world debuts made while they were still struggling, in addition to representative works made at the height of their success.

2. Introducing the art school through a wealth of documents
What was art school like from the Meiji to Showa periods? Documents related to student life and education will be on display to provide an in-depth look at modern art education.

Major artists
Takeuchi Seiho (竹内栖鳳)
Murakami Kagaku (村上華岳)
Kikuchi Keigetsu (菊池契月)
Tsuchida Bakusen (土田麦僊)
Konoshima Okoku (木島桜谷)
Ono Chikkyo (小野竹喬)
Tsuji Kako (都路華香)
Domoto Insho (堂本印象)
Yamaguchi Kayo (山口華楊)
Tokuoka Shinsen (徳岡神泉)