was the pseudonym

Art-name

An art-name is a pseudonym, or penname, used by an East Asian artist, which they sometimes change. The word and the idea to use a pseudonym originated from China, then became popular in other East Asian countries ....

 of a major figure in Taishō

Taisho period

The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...

 and early Shōwa period

Showa period

The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...

 Japanese painting

Japanese painting

is one of the oldest and most highly refined of the Japanese visual arts, encompassing a wide variety of genres and styles. As with the history of Japanese arts in general, the long history of Japanese painting exhibits synthesis and competition between native Japanese aesthetics and adaptation of...

, and is regarded as one of the founders of the Japanese painting technique of nihonga

Nihonga

or literally "Japanese-style paintings" is a term used to describe paintings that have been made in accordance with traditional Japanese artistic conventions, techniques and materials...

. His real name was Yasuda Shinzaburō.

Career

Yasuda was born in Nihonbashi

Nihonbashi

, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...

, Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, as the fourth son of a Japanese restaurant owner. He initially studied Tosa school

Tosa school

The Tosa school of Japanese painting was founded in the 15th century, and was devoted to yamato-e, which are paintings specializing in subject matter and techniques derived from ancient Japanese art, as opposed to schools influenced by Chinese art....

 painting at the Tōkyō Bijutsu Gakkō (the predecessor to the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music

Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music

or is one of the oldest and most prestigious art schools in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, and Kitasenju, Adachi, Tokyo...

), under Kobori Tomoto. While in school, his talent was recognized by Okakura Kakuzō

Okakura Kakuzo

was a Japanese scholar who contributed to the development of arts in Japan. Outside of Japan, he is chiefly remembered today as the author of The Book of Tea.-Biography:...

 who sent him to Nara

Nara, Nara

is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...

 to study classical paintings in the Yamato-e

Yamato-e

Yamato-e is a style of Japanese painting inspired by Tang Dynasty paintings and developed in the late Heian period. It is considered the classical Japanese style...

style. While in Nara, he first viewed the ancient mural

Mural

A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...

s on the walls of the Kondo chapel of the Buddhist

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 temple of Hōryū-ji

Hōryū-ji

is a Buddhist temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is Hōryū Gakumonji , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as seminary and monastery both....

, and this was to have a deep impact on his future style of painting.

From 1914, Yasuda assisted Yokoyama Taikan

Yokoyama Taikan

was the pseudonym of a major figure in Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japanese painting. He is notable for helping create the Japanese painting technique of Nihonga. His real name was Yokoyama Hidemaro.-Early life:...

 in re-establishing the Japan Fine Arts Academy (Nihon Bijutsuin). From 1944 to 1951, he taught as a professor at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. In 1948, he was awarded the Order of Culture

Order of Culture

The is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature or culture; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life...

 by the Japanese government, and was appointed a member of the Japan Art Academy

Japan Art Academy

is the highest ranking artistic organization in Japan. The Academy discusses art-related issues, advises the Minister of Education on art-related issues, and promotes art is the highest ranking artistic organization in Japan. The Academy discusses art-related issues, advises the Minister of...

. In the post-war period, he assisted Maeda Seison

Maeda Seison

was the pseudonym of a nihonga painter in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. His real name was Maeda Renzō. He is considered one of the greatest contemporary Japanese painters, and one of the founders of the Nihonga movement.- Biography :...

 on restoration and preservation work on the murals of Hōryū-ji.

Yasuda was known primarily for his paintings on historical themes, and occasionally for portraiture

Portrait painting

Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to depict the visual appearance of the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait...

 or bird-and-flower paintings. One of his principal disciples was noted Nihonga painter Ogura Yuki

Ogura Yuki

was a nihonga painter in Shōwa period Japan. Her maiden name was Mizoguchi Yuki. She was known for her bijinga.-Biography:Ogura was born in Ōtsu city, Shiga prefecture and graduated from the Nara Women's Normal School...

.

Yasuda's works have been selected as the subject of commemorative postage stamps three times by the Japanese post office

Post office

A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...

:

• 1981: Spring in Asuka with Nukada Okimi, as part of the Modern Art series.
• 1986: Mount Fuji, to commemorate the 1986 Tokyo Summit
• 1996: Window, to commemorate the 1996 Philatelic Week