Artists

Ota Saburo

  • Born 1884 in Aichi, Japan; died in 1969 in Tokyo, Japan.

Born in part of Nishikasugai District in Aichi Prefecture that is now Kiyosu City. Goes to Tokyo and studies Western-style painting under Kuroda Seiki and Japanese-style painting under Terasaki Kogyo. Selected for the 7th Bunten exhibition, after which he studies in France. Later serves as a judge at the Teiten exhibition, and establishes himself as a prominent figure in art world. Distances himself from the mainstream art world after World War II, and establishes Chubu Nihon Bijutsu Kyokai in 1946, becoming its chairman. Leads movement to establish an art museum seeking a venue for artists to present their work, and assumes position as head of art department at Aichi Prefectural Culture Center (Aichi-ken Bunka Kaikan) when it opens in 1955. Works to advance local culture while directing art museum operations. Excels at illustrating and literary writing in addition to Japanese- and Western-style painting, and promotes art to broad audience.

Time line
1913
7th Ministry of Education Art Exhibition (Bunten) at Takenodai Chinretsukan (Tokyo).
1933–34
Serves as judge at Imperial Art Academy Exhibition (Teiten).
1946–50
Becomes chairman of Chubu Nihon Bijutsu Kyokai.
1955–60
Becomes head of art department at Aichi Prefectural Culture Center (Aichi-ken Bunka Kaikan).
2024
Artists with Connections to Kiyosu—The versatile polymath artist Ota Saburo exhibition at Kiyosu City Haruhi Art Museum in Aichi Prefecture.
  • “Mural Paintings for Higashiyama Zoo No. 1” 1948
  • Collection of Nagoya City Art Museum