Hishida Shunso (1874 – 1911, Japanese)

Hishida Shunso or Shunso Hishida (1874 – 1911, Japanese) his real name Hishida Miyoji, was a Meiji period painter and is known for his paintings of cats and developing a new painting genre called Nihonga.

Born in Iida city, he soon moved to Tokyo to study with the artist Yuki Masaaki and eventually enrolled in the forerunner of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Shunso was employed by the Imperial Household Museum (Tokyo National Museum) to copy Buddhist paintings at temples in Kyoto and Nara. In the early 1900’s he traveled to the United States and Europe. When he returned to Japan, he held several exhibitions of his works.

Shunso’s style was revolutionary in that his new method replaced line drawings that were characteristic of traditional Japanese paintings. Unfortunately, his style was criticized and termed “moro-tai” (vague). Because of the criticism, Hishida Shunso decided to integrate his style with traditional line drawings. The result was a new genre Nihonga.

His paintings of cats are done in the Nihonga style and are delicate and light. Cats are mostly posed under various types of trees. His work Black Cat (1910) was used as a commemorative postage stamp in 1979.

Kuroki Neko
Used as a postage stamp in 1979

Cat and Plum Blossoms

Cat under Plum Blossom Tree, Hishida Shunso

Cat under Plum Blossom Tree 2

Detail, Cat Under Plum Blossoms

Camellias and Cat

Cat under an Odong Tree

Bamboo and Cat

Cat

Black Cat, 1910

Detail, Black Cat

Black Cat and Tree

Cat under a Plum Tree

Cat under Kasuga Tree

Sleeping Cat

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