Ichimatsu Tanaka


Ichimatsu Tanaka was a prominent Japanese academic, an art historian, curator, editor, and sometime public servant who specialized in the history of Japanese art. He was born in Tsuruoka, Yamagata.

Education

Tanaka attended Shōnai Middle School and :ja:山形県立鶴岡北高等学校, both in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, before entering Tokyo Imperial University in 1918. He received an undergraduate degree from the Department of Aesthetics and Art History at the same institution in 1923.

Professional career

From 1924-1926 Tanaka served on the staff of the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum. From 1952-1953, he served as Chairman of the Department of Fine Arts at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, and from 1953–1965, as 9th Director General of the same institute. After resigning as Director General, from 1965-1977 he was Editor in Chief of the prominent art historical journal . From 1977 until his death in 1983, he served as Editorial Advisor for the same journal.
Tanaka was also an assiduous public servant and active researcher. In 1926, he served on the Committee for the Preservation of Ancient Temples and Shrines. In 1935, he participated in an investigate inquiry into the preservation of National Treasures of Japan. In 1936, he served as an ad-hoc member of the

Honors

During his long career, Tanaka conducted research and in-depth investigations of a wide range of works of art, primarily Japanese and Chinese paintings. In 2008, twenty-five years after his death, Tanaka's personal research notes, written records, and photographic materials were donated to the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties by a surviving family member and the Idemitsu Museum of Arts. Much of this research was carried out prior to World War II, and his personal records include valuable information on many works of art that were subsequently lost during the war. These materials are administered by the Department of Research Programming at the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.

Selected works

Book-length Works, Edited Volumes, Compendia, and Exhibition Catalogues: