臺南美術史

Takei Shyoichi, In the Forest, the Western-style Painting Division of the 2nd Taiten (Taiwan Art Exhibition), 1928.

Takei Shyoichi graduated from the Taihoku High School. His work In the Forest was selected into the Western-style Painting Division at the 2nd Taiten (Taiwan Art Exhibition) in 1928. In the painting , the building is the former Anping Customs House (now Fort Zeelandia Museum), which is a rare subject among the paintings depicting Tainan’s landscape. Built in 1882, the Customs House was first used as the residence of the customs officials, and was used as the Customs Club after 1897. In 1930, the Tainan Prefecture organized the Exhibition of the 300-Year Commemoration of Taiwan Culture (臺灣文化三百年紀念會), and the building was used as a venue for an exhibit of historical archives. In 1932, the building became the Tainan Archives, which gave it a historical significance in terms of the New Cultural Movement. The staircase and the second-floor corridor are the distinct features of the building. In this work, the large shade of the tree sprawls across the foreground, creating a dynamic and vivid interplay of light and shadow, which is also cast onto the walls of the staircase. The overall style leans towards plein-air painting, however, the unfettered brushwork and solid layers of paint highlight the creative autonomy of the painter.

References:
1. Liu, Chi-Yu. “In the Forest.” Missing Pieces – Taifuten Historical Archives. https://taifuten.com/oblect/%e6%9e%97%e9%96%93/#squelch-taas-toggle-shortcode-content-2 (viewed on 2023.11.10)
2. Lee, Shu-Pei. “A Study of Landscapes of Tainan in the Catalogues of the Taiten and the Futen during the Period of Japanese Rule.” The 2022 NCAF Visual Arts Grant for Study and Research – 2nd Phase, 2023.