潘春源被稱為「台灣本土第一代廟宇彩繪師」，以地方傳統門神廟宇彩繪的成就為人所知，現今許多的研究都著重在他廟宇彩繪的成就，然而在日治時期的台灣美術展覽會上，潘春源也有很好的成績，他連續6年以《牧場所見》、《武帝》等作品獲入選。潘春源於日治時期受過三年的公學校教育，沒有留學日本的經驗，純粹「本土」根源，以潘春源的背景，他沒有直接的管道去學習當時新潮流的寫生風格或是東洋畫技巧，更遑論西方觀念如寫實、創造性及個別性。但是潘春源入選台展的作品，不論是以關公作為繪畫主題，或是著台灣裝束美人畫等，都具台灣「地方色彩」特徵，符合現代寫實面貌。

本文以傳統廟宇彩繪師潘春源的藝術生涯與作品作為分析場域，來探討台灣美術在日本殖民主義下，現代化的過程中所呈現文化混雜的多樣面貌。本文分為兩個部分：一、潘春源藝術生涯的重新檢視，包括台展的參與以及廟宇彩繪工作，探討他如何在台展及廟宇彩繪兩方面的成就；二、對潘春源作品的分析討論：他如何運用現代/傳統不同的藝術傳統元素，在作品中表達出合乎當代的現代性。

This paper examines the life and career of Pan Chunyuan, a leading artist in the Tainan area. During the colonial period, Pan was a painter of wall and door decoration in temples and was also active in the Taiten. His case is especially interesting because he had only a few years in the colonial education system, where most Taiwanese artists of his generation first encountered modern artistic trends. The more privileged of them pursued further studies in Japan. In either case, they went on to disseminate modern Japanese culture in Taiwan. Pan, by contrast, was self-taught and never went to Japan. Yet he became one of the most successful Taiwanese artists of his time. This paper argues that it is important to pay attention to the works of artisan-painters like Pan, their responses to new trends, and their use of techniques from their centuries-old artisan practice.

This paper starts by examining the many varieties of works in Pan Chunyuan's artisan practice, from his mounting shop to his temple wall and door painting. What was Pan's response to the new styles and trends he encountered in the official exhibition? With very limited academic art training, how did he use the techniques and subject matter of the artisan tradition in works reflecting Japanese taste? In answering these questions, I shall be looking at artisans who worked on a flat two-dimensional surface—that is, at paintings on paper, silk, walls and doors. The artisans who created these works were, in a sense, painters. Other temple decorations, such as sculptures, carving and crafts, are not discussed. The paper is in two parts: the first is a biography of Pan Chunyuan, including his profession as a mounter and temple wall and door painter, and it also looks at the diversity of subjects and styles in artisan practice. The second part is an analysis of the paintings Pan exhibited in the Taiten.