Kumaoka Yoshihiko
1929
Oil on canvas
Donated by the Kumaoka Family
Kumaoka Yoshihiko
1889-1944
Born in Ibaraki Prefecture. Kumaoka studied Western-style painting at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts under Fujishima Takeji and others. After graduation, he was active in many Japan Art Academy exhibitions, receiving many awards for his works. In 1926, he went to Europe and actively incorporated Western art styles inspired from Cézanne, Manet, Matisse, Picasso and others into his own expressive style. After returning to Japan, he formed the Kumaoka Western painting institute in 1931. The following year, he created the Tokokai with Saitō Yori and others and contributed to the development of Western-styled painting in modern Japan. He painted large works that centered on dynamic, life-like images of the female form.