Asian Art Resource Room

Art school for women opens in Tokyo

The Private Women’s School of Fine Arts (present-day Joshibi University of Art and Design) is established in Tokyo.

Santiniketan school opens

Rabindranath Tagore establishes Visva-Bharati (present-day Visva-Bharati University) in Santiniketan.

Tenshin visits India and meets Tagore family

Okakura Tenshin visits Culcatta (present-day Kolkata) and stays at Tagore’s residence. Okakura meets the Bengali artists, including Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore, and teaches the styles of Japanese painting. During the visit, Okakura travels around India, including Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, Ajanta, and Ellora.

The Ideal of the East published.

Okakura Tenshin （Kakuzo) publishes The Ideal of the East in Calcutta. “Asia is one” in the beginning is well known.

Taikan and Shunso visit India

Yokoyama Taikan and Hishida Shunso visit Bengal and teach the technics of Japanese painting to Tagore and artists around him. They hold their exhibition at the Landlord Club in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) and sold their works.

Modern art education begins

Liangjiang Teachers College (Nanjing) is founded the Faculty of Design, which marks the beginning of the modern art education.

Katsuda Shokin teaches in Calcutta

Katsuda Shokin becomes the professor of the Government School of Art, Calcutta in 1864.

Li Shutong studies in Japan

Li Shutong enters the Department of Western Painting, Tokyo Fine Arts School, and studys under the tutelage of the painter, Kuroda Seiki.

Indian Society of Oriental Art by Tagore family

Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore found Indian Society of Oriental Art against Western academic style of art.

Tokyo Fine Arts School receives students from Asia

Faculty of Art and Education is established at Tokyo Fine Arts School. The graduates are appointed to teach at elementary, secondary, and advance educational institutions in Joseon, China or Taiwan and become a source of information for local artists about the trends of Japanese art and studying in Japan.

Westernization of Thai art

King Chulalongkorn left for his second entourage to Europe after 1897. Attending the King again Luang Soralaklikhit, developed his artistic techniques during his long stay and becomes an official court painter in oil after his return in 1910.

The Japanese governments begins Bunten exhibition

The First Ministry of Education Fine Arts Exhibition (Bunten) is held between October 25 and November 30 at the Tokyo Industrial Exposition Museum in Ueno. The exhibition continues twelve editions until 1918.

Ishikawa Kin’ichiro teaches in Taiwan

Ishikawa Kin’ichiro moves to Taiwan to serve as an interpreter at the Governor-General and an art instructor at Taipei Junior High School and the Japanese Language School of Taiwan Provincial Government.

Ko Huidong studies in Japan

Ko Huidong enrolls in Western panting course, Tokyo Fine Arts School. Graduates and returns to Korea in 1915.

Japan annexes Korea

Japan annexes Korea with Japan–Korea Treaty.

Japanese artist teaches in Thailand

Miki Sakae, a lacquer artisan, works as a Thai artistic director and engineer after graduating Tokyo Fine Arts School. He later serves as a principal of the Poh-Chang School (until 1940).

Art school opens in Seoul

Yun Yeonggi opens the Gyeongseong School of Calligraphy and Painting Society (Gyeongseong Seohwa Misulwon). Lee Wanyong takes over and opens the practical school (a 3-year curriculum).

Kim Gwanho studies in Japan

Kim Gwanho enrolls at Tokyo Fine Arts School. Graduates on March 1916.

Xinhai Revolution

The Xinhai Revolution breaks out.

Art school opens in Shanghai

Liu Haisu founds the Shanghai Academy of Art.

Mongolian independence movement

Mongolia declares the independence from the Xin Dynasty due to the Xinhai Revolution in China and appoints the 8th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, the living Buddha as the emperor. However, their attempts fail due to pressure from the Republic of China and Russia. The Republic of China keeps the suzerainty and grants political autonomy.

Thai government establishes a department for art promotion

Imperial Household Ministry founds the Fine Arts Department, which becomes the first step for establishing institutional framework for cultural promotion in the modern nation.

The Republic of China established

The Republic of China is established, and Sun Yat-sen becomes a Provisional President .

The first exhibition of Western art in Shanghai

The Shanghai Academy of Art starts the class. Its first student exhibition, held in the summer, is the first large-scale exhibition of Western-style art in Shanghai.

21 Demands by Japan

Yuan Shikai accepts the Twenty-One Demands by Japan.

Art school opens in Bangkok

The Poh-Chang Academy of Arts, a technical training school to educate teachers and artisans, is founded in Bangkok.

Art institutions in Pakistan

Sumarendranath Gupta is appointed to the vice-principal of the Mayo School of Arts (and then the principal between 1929 and 1942). Gupta conveys the techniques of the Bengali school. He also serves as curator of the Lahore Museum in 1921.

Huang Tushui studies in Japan

Huang Tushui enrolls in Tokyo Fine Arts School. Graduates in 1920.

Wang Yuezhi studies in Japan

Wang Yuezhi (Liu Jintang) enrolls at Kawabata Painting School. Enrolls at Tokyo Fine Arts School on March 1916.

Group by Chinese students

Chinese students in Japan form Association of Chinese Art.

R. Tagore visits Japan

Rabindranath Tagore visits Japan (May 29–Sept. 2)
His lecture and an exhibition of Indian paintings at Nihon Bijutsu-in cause a Tagore boom.

A Korean artist awarded in Japan

Kim Eunho receives a prize with his work Nightfall at The 10th Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Bunten), which is held between October 14 and November 20 at Takenodai Exhibition Hall, Tokyo. After returning to Korea, Kim holds a solo exhibition of oil painting in Pyongyang, which is the first of such exhibitions by a Korean painter.

Arai Kanpo teaches in Calcutta

Arai Kanpo begins teaching paintings to Tagore family and Nandalal Bose at Bichitra Art School.

Mori Kinsen in Java

Mori Kinsen moves to Java.

Gohara Koto teaches in Taiwan

Gohara Koto visits Taiwan and becomes a teacher at Taichung 1st Junior High School.

Russian Revolution

Russian (October) Revolution takes place.

Art school opens in Phnom Penh

George Groslier, a French scholar, who inherits the management of the workshop in the Palace founds the School of Cambodian Arts (present-day Royal University of Fine Arts) to preserve and promote “authentic Khmer art.”

The first national art school in China

The National School of Fine Arts in Beijing is founded as the first national school of arts in China.

The first artist group in Korea

Chosen Calligraphy and Painting Society is founded, and An Joongsik is appointed as the first chairman.

Korean painters join the March 1 independence movement

The March 1st Movement breaks out. The painters Oh Sechang, Kim Bokjin, Kim Eunho, Gilbert Pham Yim, Ra Hyeseok and Jang Sunhee participate and are imprisoned after being sentenced from 3 month to 3 years.

May Fourth Movement and New Culture Movement

As China’s request for the cancellation of Japan’s “Twenty-One Demands” is rejected at the Versailles Peace Conference, the nation-wide expansion of student demonstrations and anti-Japan movements occur, which eventually lead to the New Culture Movement (May Fourth Movement).

Teiten begins

The 1st Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten) (Oct. 14–Nov. 20 is held at Takenodai Exhibition Hall, Tokyo) takes place. After being restructured in the following year, the exhibition continues until the 15th exhibition (1934).

Koryo Painting Society is formed

Koryo Painting Society is formed for art education.
YMCA Hall
Artists including Ko Huitong, Yamamoto Baigai, Takagi Haisui works as advisors and lecturers. Soon Koo Bonwoong becomes a member.

Calendar poster in full bloom

Calendar Poster becomes popular.

Shanghai Academy develops

Shanghai Academy of Art is renamed the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, including the Departments of Chinese painting, Western painting, Craft and Design, Sculpture, and Education (Higher Education and Elementary Education).

Magazine “Art” begins publication

The publishing company founded by the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts begins publication of the monthly magazine, Art. The magazine introduces arts from modern Europe and enlightens youth interested in art.

Kim Bokjin studies in Japan

Kim Bokjin enrolls in Sculpture Department, Tokyo Fine Arts School, studies under Tatehata Daimu.

Jamini Roy and folk art

Jamini Roy begins to apply Kalighat painting and traditional ethnic art in his work.

Ceylon Art Club established

C. F. Windsor founds the Ceylon Art Club against the Academism of the Ceylon Society of Arts.

Exhibition of Joseon Art by Yanagi Muneyoshi

Exhibition of Joseon Art is held organized by Joseon Art Museum by Yanagi Muneyoshi.

A Japanese painter teaches in Taipei

Shiotsuki Toho moves to Taiwan and serves as a teacher at the first Taipei Junior High School and also teach at Taipei High School.

Communist Party founded

China’s Communist Party is founded, holding the first People’s Congress in Shanghai.

Exhibiton of intense modern style

The painting exhibition by the Art Society is held in Shanghai. The members included Chen Baoyi and three other Chinese painters who studied in Japan, and Komori Takeshi. Its sensational contemporary expression receives attention.

Art school opens in Guangzhou

Guangzhou Municipal Art School is founded. Along with the Department of Western-style Painting, it founds the Chinese Painting Department in 1927.

Yamawaki Shintoku works in Mukden

Yamawaki Shintoku visits Mukden and works at Mukden Junior High School and South Manchuria Junior High School.
He is active as a represetative painter of the city until he retires for visiting France in 1925.

Senten begins

The 1st Joseon Art Exhibition (Senten) (Jun. 1–21, Governor-General Korean Merchandize Exhibition Hall, Gyeongseong [present-day Seoul]). The exhibition continues until the 23rd edition in 1944.

Art education in British style begins in Singapore

Richard Walker starts working at the Education Department in Singapore to develop art education in schools.

Liao Chichuen and Chen Chengbo　studies in Japan

Liao Chichun and Chen Chengbo enroll at Art Teaching Course, Tokyo Fine Arts School.

Ishilkawa Kin’ichiro re-start teaching in Taipei

Ishikawa Kin’ichiro returns to Taiwan and serves as a teacher at Taipei Normal School.

The 5th Teiten Exhibition

The 5th Teiten Exhibition (Oct. 15–Nov. 20, Tekenodai Exhibition Hall)
Huang Tushui’s sculpture “Suburb” is accepted.

Independence of Mongolia

The Mongolian People’s Republic is founded by the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party backed by the Soviet Union.

Lithographs by Sarlis

Sarlis publishes lithograph works.

Chen Chihchi studies in Japan

Chen Chihchi enrolls at Western Painting Course, Tokyo Fine Art School.

Chen Jin　studies in Japan

Chen Jin enrolls at Japanese-style Painting Teaching Course, Tokyo Fine Arts School, advised by Gohara Koto.

Kim Eunho and Byeong Gwansik study in Japan

Kim Eunho and Byeong Gwansik study in Tokyo

Art school (EBAI) opens in Hanoi

École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine is founded in Hanoi, and the French painter, Victor Tardieu, becomes the first principal. The school is closed in 1945.

The 1st exhibition of Joseon Art Association

Joseon Art Association is founded and opens its 1st exhibition with Japanese and Korean artists including 18 Korean supporting members.
Korean Governor-General Library

Korean and Taiwanese artists in Teiten

The 7th Teiten Exhibition (Oct. 16–Nov. 20, Tokyo Prefectural Art Museum)
Kim Eunh was first accepted in the Japanese-style painting section as the first Korean artist. Chen Chengbo’s “Suburb of Jiayi” is also accepted.

Lacquer class begins at EBAI

Joseph Inguimberty begins the lacquer art course at the École des Beaux-Arts de l’Indochine. He teaches the subject with the assistance of Elis Aimée.

Xu Beihong teaches at the Department of Art Education

The Department of Art Education is founded in National Central University (Nanjing), where Xu Beihong serves as the chair.

Chiang Kai-shek’s anti-communist coup

Chiang Kai-shek launches an anti-communist coup in Shanghai. Many left-wing Guomintang and Communist Party members are executed.

Beijing Art Convention with radical slogans

National School of Fine Arts in Beijing organizes the Beijing Art Convention, which comprises art exhibitions and performing art events, under the slogan, “Defeat the imitative traditional art! Defeat the art occupied and enjoyed by a few nobles! Create the art representing our time! Create the art appreciated by all the people from any classes!”

Teiten reforms

The 8th Teiten Exhibition (Oct. 16–Nov. 20, Tokyo Prefectural Art Museum)
The 4th Section for crafts is established. The 2nd Section begins accepting creative prints. Chen Chengpo’s Summer Feeling on Street (present Summer Day Street) is accepted.

Taiten begins. “Three Children” noticed

The 1st Taiwan Fine Art Exhibition (Taiten). (Oct. 28–Nov. 6, Huashan Elementary School, Taipei). The Taiten continues until the 10th in 1936. Works by Chen Jin, Lin Yushan, and Kuo Hsueho are received, named “Taiten Three Children.”

Chandra Man Sigh Maskey solo exhibition

Chandra Man Sigh Maskey holds the first solo exhibition in Kathmandu.

China Academy of Art founded

China Academy of Art is founded in Hangzhou, officially inaugurated with Cai Yuanpei. Lin Fengmin becomes the principal. The school aims for creativity that expresses the time in which Western and Chinese art coexisted. In October 1929, the school changes its name to the China National Academy of Fine Arts (present-day China Academy of Art).

Mukden Incident

The Zhang Zuolin is killed in the explosion of train (Mukden Incident).

Art Movement Society promotes modern art

Teachers of the China Academy of Art found the Art Movement Society, and Ling Fengmin, Wang Ziyun, and Li Pu-yuan are in charge of the group. They reject the value of traditional art and seek an art representing the new era. The group issued the first volume of magazine, Apollo, in October, focusing on introducing of Chinese contemporary art and Western art (stopped in 1936).

Victorio Edades returns from U.S.

Victorio Edades holds the exhibition at the Philippines Columbia Club, Manila, commemorating his return from the United States.

Photography group Huashe established

Lang Jinshan and others found the Chinese Photographic Society (Huashe) in Shanghai.

Li Meishu studies in Japan

Li Meishu enrolls at Western Painting Course, Tokyo Fine Arts School.

Eighteen Art Society established

The students of the National Art Academy, including Hu Yichuan and Chen Tiegeng, form the Eighteen Art Society (ended in Feb 1933).

Chen Jin continues studying Japanese-style paintings

Chen Jin continues studying Japanese-style paintings after graduating from the Tokyo Fine Arts School, under Kaburagi Kiyokata, advised by Ito Shinsui and Yamakawa Shuho.

The National Art Exhibition begins in Nanjing

The Ministry of Education National Art Exhibition (The First National Art Exhibition) is held as the first nation-wide exhibition in China. Calligraphy, bronze and stone inscription, Western-style painting, sculpture, architecture, craft, and artistic photography, as well as 80 works from Japan and other foreign countries, are exhibited. Long Chinsan (Lang Jinshan) served as a jury of art artistic photography section. During the exhibition, Xu Beihong and Xu Zhima have the “Two Xu Controversy,” arguing whether realism is more important or as much as free expression.