Miematsu Tanabe

Japanese (1897-1971)

Miematsu Tanabe was born in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan in 1897. He was known for his paintings of nature, cityscapes and still lifes utilizing free-flowing brush strokes. Tanabe studied with Hakutei Ishii, Sotaro Yasui and Zenzaburo Kojima. In 1942 he received the Nika Association award and became a member. After World War II he established the Kodo Bijutsu Association and the Hokkaido Bijutsu Association. He was awarded the Hokkaido Culture award in 1949. Tanabe moved to Tokyo 1952 and, in 1963, traveled to Europe where he painted the fjords of Norway and the Swiss mountains. An exhibition “Mountains in Switzerland and Norway” was held in Tokyo in 1965. Another exhibition of his work was held in Saikodo, Ginza, Tokyo in 1970. He was awarded the Hokkaido Development Cultural Merit Award in 1971. The exhibition “Miematsu Tanabe” commemorating the 40th anniversary of his death was held at Hakodate Museum of Art, Hokkaido, in 2011.

Tanabe’s works can be found at Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, Mie Prefectural Art Museum in Tsu, Mie, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Hokkaido Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura and Hayama and Hiroshima Museum.