Officials in central Taiwan’s Hsinchu City say they may have discovered two paintings by renowned Japanese artist Kinichiro Ishikawa at a local elementary school. Ishikawa was a pioneer of Western art in Taiwan who specialized in watercolors. He lived from 1871 to 1945.
One of the unearthed paintings is thought to be a particularly rare oil painting by Ishikawa.
Officials at the elementary school have sent the two paintings to a vault in Hsinchu City for storage. The city’s culture officials say they have contacted experts at Tainan National University of the Arts to identify and authenticate the two paintings. The experts will also be called in to conduct restoration work if necessary.
Hsinchu City Mayor Lin Chih-chien says if the two paintings are indeed authentic Ishikawa paintings, then their discovery would have a significant impact on Hsinchu’s place in Taiwanese art history.