Kaii Higashiyama

nihongo|Kaii Higashiyama|東山 魁夷|Higashiyama Kaii|July 8, 1908 - May 6, 1999 was a Japanese artist.

=Life= Kaii Higashiyama was born on July 8th in Yokohama. His parents were Kosuke and Kuni Higashiyama. He was named Shinkichi, but later he changed his name to Kaii.Higashiyama entered the Nihon-ga department of Tokyo School of Fine Arts(currently Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) in 1926. He graduated with commendation in 1931. In 1940 Higashiyama married Sumi Kawasaki.In July of 1945, Higashiyama was drafted into the army and received anti-tank training. He was demobilized later that year.Higashiyama spent a lot of time travelling. He mostly travelled Japan and China, but also made several trips to Europe. In 1933, he studied German at the Berlin University and in 1962 he travelled around the Nordic countries.

=Awards=
*1956 received the Japan Art Academy Award for "Twilight”
*1965 appointed as a member of Japan Art Academy.
*1969 ”Tide at Daybreak” won the Mainichi Art Award.
*1984 Elected as a member of Order Pour De Le Merite Für Wissenschaften Und Künste.
*1992 Awarded the UNESCO Picasso Gold Medal.
*1994 Higashiyama Kaii art gallery was opened.

Murals

In 1960 Higashiyama painted a large mural ”Sun, moon and the four seasons”, to the Crown Prince’s Tōgū Palace. Later he received another royal commission and in 1968 the mural “Tide at Daybreak” was completed in the Imperial Palace. He also painted several murals for the Tōshōdai-ji temple. The murals were completed in 1975 and 1980. They depicted landscapes from Japan and China.

=Sources=
*cite web |url=http://higashiyama-kaii.com/en/ |title=Kaii Higashiyama: A retrospective |accessdate=2008-07-01 |work= |publisher=Nikkei inc. |date=
*cite web |url= http://www.lingnanart.com/J-master/J_master_Kaii_Higashiyama_eng.htm|title=Kaii Higashiyama- The Japanese master |accessdate=2008-07-01 |work= |publisher= James Tan Gallery |date=
*cite web |url=http://www.pref.kagawa.jp/higashiyama/english/higashiyama/index.html |title= Kaii Higashiyama biography |accessdate=2008-07-01 |work= |publisher=Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Museum |date=
*cite book |title=The collected works of Kaii Higashiyama |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |year= |publisher=Shorewood Fine Art Books |location= |isbn=0-887658-37-8 |pages=

External links

* http://www.lingnanart.com/J-master/J_master_Kaii_Higashiyama_eng.htm
* [http://www.gallery-sakura.com/search/higashiyama_kaii.html Artworks and history of Kaii Higashiyama]
* [http://www.npsam.com/english/index.php NAGANO PREFECTURAL SHINANO ART MUSEUM / HIGASHIYAMA KAII GALLERY]