Background
Sugiyama was born in 1909 in Asakusa, the eldest son of the owner of a stationery shop.
寧 杉山
Sugiyama was born in 1909 in Asakusa, the eldest son of the owner of a stationery shop.
In 1928, Sugiyama enrolled in the Tokyo Art School (now the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music). While at the school studied under Eikyii Matsuoka.
He formed the "rossogasha" (瑠爽画社) along with Yamamoto Kyujin and Takayama Tatsuo, and participated positively in the movement to reform nihonga.
His work Suihen (Waterside) accepted at the 12th Teiten (Imperial Academy's Art Exhibition), this being the first time that he was so honored (1931), the following year his Iso (Beach) won special recognition at the 13th Teiten (1932).
Leapt into fame when his Ama (A Woman Diver) was awarded special recognition (1934), he has been continually exhibited works at government-sponsored exhibitions. His "Europe" displayed at the 7th Nitten (Japan Art Academy's Exhibition), attracted attention because of uniqueness of its theme and technique.
He received a commission to design the carpets of Tokyo Imperial Palace. His stylized pattern of clouds (kumo) was used in the Shunju-no-Ma, a grand hall with an area of 608 square meters, or about 184 tsubo. He also designed the pattern of grass (kusa), which was used in the Houmei-Den, the largest hall with an area of 915 square meters, or about 280 tsubo.
In 1974, Sugiyama was awarded the Order of Culture.
In 1958, his eldest daughter married Yukio Mishima. As a reason for choosing her, Mishima suggested "because she was the daughter of an artist, so she wouldn't hold to many of the illusions people have about artists".