Kim Eun-ho (painter)
Kim Eun-ho was a Korean painter known for the skillful use of the nihonga style in his work. He was particularly active during the Japanese colonial period, recognized many times at the Joseon Art Exhibition. He remained influential throughout the twentieth century.
Biography
Kim Eun-ho was born on June 24, 1892, in Haksan-ri, Bunae-myeon, Incheon, Korea.Kim joined the as a student in 1912 at the age of 20 years. The Kyongsong School of Calligraphy and Painting was established by Yun Yeong-gi in 1911, where artists of the time like An Jung-Sik, Cho Suk-jin, Jeong Dae-yu, Kang Pil-ju, Kang Jin-hui, and Kim Eung-won taught ink painting and calligraphy to a new generation of modern Korean painters. Here Kim was given the art name 'Yee Dang' by An Jung-sik in 1913 and he graduated in 1915. The time spent at this school allowed Kim to pursue ink-wash painting under the masters in the field.
After graduating from the Kyongsong School of Calligraphy and Painting, Kim went on to attend the Tokyo School of Fine Arts from 1924 to 1927. The Tokyo School of Fine Arts, which later changed its name to Tokyo University of the Arts, was established in 1887 by Okakura Kakuzō and others. At the time, this school was the only institution that taught Western painting styles in an organized manner in East Asia and therefore had a large number of international students from China, Korea, and Taiwan. During this period Kim mastered the nihonga style. Nihonga, which means 'Japanese painting', was a new ink painting style that developed in response to the influx of Western-style 'yoga' in Japan.
After an industrious career, Kim died on February 7, 1979.
Career
Painting style and subject matter
Kim was known for skillfully using the nihonga style, which is a Japanese style of painting that focuses on being different from the Western style of painting or yoga. Following the nihonga paintings of beauties, Kim used this style to illustrate women as fair and elegant, facing away from the viewer and engaging in rearing their children and other daily activities. These paintings have been criticized for bringing out stereotypical expectations of women following Orientalism.He was also known for his portraiture which displayed his expertise in fine brushwork and intricate patterns. He was a traditional painter who mostly used ink to paint on materials like silk and paper. While many of his paintings revolve around women and children, he also painted many works related to Buddhism and nature.
Kim was an influential painter of the time whose paintings are still showcased and auctioned in Korea as well as the United States of America. However, some of his paintings created during the decades of Japanese colonialism and the conflict in Korea, are seen as insensitive or pro-Japanese works by modern-day art critics.
Joseon Art Exhibition
After graduating from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, Kim returned to Korea and began his career as a professional painter. He submitted many of his works to the Joseon Art Exhibition, where he was featured consecutively for many years. The Joseon Art Exhibition was established by the Japanese government in 1922 during the Japanese annexation of Korea. This exhibition was a way by which the Japanese government controlled the art scene of Korea, promoting certain subject matter and categories as better than others. The exhibition consisted of three sub-sections, one being the 'Oriental' style, a section which was the officially accepted Eastern paintings that were painted using the Japanese nanga and nihonga styles. Another was the Western-style paintings and sculpture section, which included paintings in the style of Japanese Academism, and finally, the calligraphy section was later restructured as a craft.Artists whose work was accepted and featured at the Joseon Art Exhibition were then established as professional artists in Korea. Therefore, this was the pathway used by Kim to establish himself as a known artist in Korea.