Hirai Baisen

Hirai Baisen (平井楳仙, 1889–1969) was a Nihonga painter. He was a judge for the Teiten (see Entry A3). His real name was Hirai Shūzō 秀三. He was born in Kyoto City. In 1906 he graduated from the Painting department of the Kyoto City School of Arts and Crafts (see Entry B1b). In 1907 he won the fourth place award at the Exhibition of Art, Old and New (Shinko bijutsuten新古美術展). His work was also accepted into the First Bunten Exhibition (see Entry A2). In 1910, he collaborated with Irie Hakō入江波光 Sasakibara Shihō 榊原紫峰 and other graduates of his school to form a research group entitled the Peach Flower Society (Tōkakai 桃花会, see Entry D6). The following year, he formed the research group Batosaya バトサヤ with such literature researchers at Kyoto University as Sasakibara Shihō榊原紫峰, Nonagase Banka 野長瀬晩花 (see Entry 42), and Hoshino Kūgai 星野空外. He continued to submit works without restrictions to the Bunten (see Entry A2) and the Shin Bunten (see Entry A4) as well as to the Teiten (see Entry A3), and after the war, he participated in an artist support organization called the Plum Blossom Society (Baisuikai 楳推会).

Further info on the artist can be found in Literati Modern.