Kuo Hsueh-hu
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Kuo Hsueh-hu (Taiwanese: Kueh Suat-ôo, April 10, 1908 – January 23, 2012), born Kuo Chin-huo, was a pioneering Taiwanese gouache painter. He was born in Taipei's Dadaocheng, which was then part of Taiwan's Taipei Prefecture (now Datong District, Taipei City), during the Japanese colonial period. Along with Chen Chin and Lin Yu-shan, Kuo was one of the "Three Youths of Taiten" (referring to the Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition)[1] and one of the major founders of the Taiwan Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition after World War II.[2]
Kuo Hsueh-hu was born in 1908 in Fanzaigou, Datong District, Taipei (now in Datong District, Taipei City). His father died when he was two years old, and his mother Chen raised him alone. In 1917, he entered the Second Public School in Datong District (now Rixin Elementary School in Taipei City)[3]: 170 and was discovered by his teacher Chen Yingsheng for his talent in painting. Chen began to teach him art.
After graduating from public school in 1923, Kuo Hsueh-hu attended the Taipei Industrial School (now National Taipei University of Technology) to study civil engineering. Due to a lack of interest in the subject, he dropped out a year later and began to study painting on his own while diligently visiting libraries.
In 1925, his mother introduced him to Tsai Shiue-shi’s " Shiue-shi Painting Studio". Tsai was a famous professional painter at that time and gave Kuo the name "Xuehu". Tsai taught Kuo how to paint images of Guanyin, Emperor and other deities, as well as the skill of mounting paintings, which marked the beginning of Kuo Hsueh-hu's journey into the world of art.[4]: 18
In 1927, the first Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition was held, and three young and unknown artists, Kuo Hsueh-hu, Chen Chin, and Lin Yu-shan, were selected for the Oriental Painting category. They became known as the "Three Young People of the Taiwan Exhibition" and gained instant fame. Kuo Hsueh-hu's selected work was "Flying Springs in a Pine Valley".[3]: 170
One of the most influential people in Kuo Hsueh-hu's life was the Japanese painter Gobara Koto. Koto was both a teacher and a friend to Kuo, and he urged him to become a professional artist. Kuo took this advice to heart and dedicated his life to art.[4]: 21–22