郭雪湖是台湾第一代胶彩画家，本名郭金火，出生于台北市大稻埕。1917年进入台北日新公学校就读。1923年公学校毕业後，至台北州立工业学校就读土木科，一年后中辍。1925年至蔡雪溪之「雪溪画馆」门下学画，「雪湖」之名即为蔡雪溪所命。1927年，第一届台湾美术展览会举办，郭雪湖与陈进、林玉山为东洋画部仅入选的三位台湾人画家之一，一时声名大噪。
影响郭雪湖一生重要的人物还有日籍画家乡原古统。郭氏欣赏乡原的作品，後来相识并建立了亦师亦友的亲密关系。乡原曾力劝郭雪湖要做一位职业画家，郭氏也记取此话，一生献身艺术，连师大系主任教职都加以辞退。郭雪湖是一位勤跑图书馆及自学成功的画家，他曾说：「我的绘画求精，不求多。」
郭雪湖跨度近一世纪的各时期作品，无论昔时今日，都在画家笔下自然流露，引人迷醉的优雅气息。融合中国传统水墨与东洋画的理念，自创重彩、淡墨勾勒的技法，并多方参考西方绘画的表现形式，注重写生，成功使胶彩画的风格大为拓宽。如是《南街殷赈》(迪化街城隍庙口)，以中国传统红、蓝、黄色为主调，从楼房的招牌旗帜，到街道上熙来攘往的人群，俱历历在目，细腻地描绘出庙口热闹繁荣之节庆景象，反映出浓郁的时代气息。又如《莱园春色》(雾峰林家花园)则采用大量的中间色调，将此地方士绅雅致温文的居家庭院表现得恰如其分，在在呈现了台湾时代面貌的变迁。后来到日本、菲律宾、泰国、欧洲以迄最终落脚的美国，画家也不曾稍歇，更锐意求新求变，如《上海三题》、《高楼耸立》(旧金山)、《大峡谷风云》等，均让人耳目一新，印象深刻。

Guo Xue Hu is Taiwan painter of colour of generation glue, fire of this renown Guo gold, be born in Cheng of Taipei city big paddy. Entered Taipei day 1917 new public school is read. After of graduate of public 1923 school, establish technical school to read construction division to Taipei city, the stop halfway after a year. Came 1925 of Cai Xuexi " Xue Xi paints a house " the picture learns below the door, " Xue Hu " the name is life of Cai Xuexi place namely. 1927, exhibition of art of the first Taiwan is held, guo Xue Hu and Chen Jin, Lin Yushan draws a ministry for Dong Yang only one of 3 selected Taiwanese painters, temporarily reputation big a confusion of voices.
The character with main lifetime of lake of influence Guo snow still has native place of day record artists primary ancient interconnected system. Guo enjoys native place original work, later is acquainted and built Yi Shiyi's friendly affinity. Countryside former Ceng Li persuades Guo Xue Hu to want to become a professional artist, guo also remembers in mind this word, devote all one's life artistic, large department head teachs duty to try to dismiss even division. Guo Xue Hu is one run frequently the library and the painter that teach oneself a success, he ever said: " my brushwork seeks fine, do not beg much. "
 The each period work of discipline of close generation of span of Guo snow lake, no matter when former times now, reveal in nature of painter the wording and purpose of what one writes, fetching confuse drunk elegant breath. Chinese ink of shirt-sleeve China traditional water and the concept that Dong Yang draws, start the ability way that heavy colour, Dan Mo outlines oneself, consult the west behaves a form painterlily with all possible means, pay attention to paint from life, make the style of glue color picture widens greatly successfully. So " south street abundant aid " (enlighten the town god's temple that influence a market buccal) , with Chinese tradition red, blue, yellow gives priority to tone, from the fascia banner of the building, to the street on bright will reject the crowd that go to, all clearly is in eye, represent opening giving temple exquisitely the section of lively prosperity celebrates picture, report gives full-bodied period flavor. Be like again " Lai garden spring scenery " (garden of home of mist peak forest) use many demitint to move, here necromancer gentry the show of the court that occupy the home of refined Wen Wen gets just right, presenting the changes of Taiwan times appearance. Go to Japan, Philippine, Thailand, Europe later in order to reach the United States of final stay, the painter never also rests a bit, more acute meaning is begged beg newly change, be like " 3 problems of Shanghai " , " high-rise towers aloft " (san Francisco) , " big gorge wind and cloud " etc, all let a person find everything new and fresh, impressive.