The King of Hell at the court of judgement

Suzuki Kason (1860-1919)

Signed : "Kason gihitsu" (Kason painted in amusement)

His original name was Suzuki Sōtaro.

He was born in Edo (Tokyo) and established a unique Japanese-painting style after studying Maruyama, Tosa and Ukiyoe paintings. He exhibited at the Bunten 1st and 3rd exhibitions (1907 and 1909), also at the 1st and 2nd Naikoku Kangyo Hakurankai (Domestic Industrial Expositions) in 1887 and 1889.

He taught painting and design at the Ishikawa Prefecture Technical High School. He was instrumental in setting up many influential painting societies, such as the Nihonga-kai and the prestigious Japan Art Academy (Nihon Bijutsuin).

In 1910, he exhibited a painting of a ferry boat in rain at the Japan and Great Britain Expo, London, UK, and won a gold prize. He also painted illustrations for contemporary authors, such as Ozaki Koyo, Koda Rohan, Izumi Kyoka etc. He was appointed a member and judge at the Imperial Fine Arts Academy (Nihon Geijutsuin).

Many of his paintings are in the collection at the Itsuo Museum, as well as at the Ishikawa Prefecture Art Museum, Imperial Household Sannomaru Shozokan Museum (Tokyo), Boston Museum of Fine Art, USA.

SUZUKI KASON : Please see page 166, A Dictionary of Japanese Artists, Laurence P. Roberts.