ARTIST DETAILS

Tomioka Tessai (1837-1924) was a Japanese painter of the Meiji-Taisho era. Born in Kyoto, he studied Japanese and Chinese language and literature, as well as poetry from an early age. He apprenticed under the poet Otagaki Rengetsu and was greatly influenced by his personality. He established the Nanga Association of Japan with Tanomura Choknyu and Taniguchi Aizan. While maintaining his status as a scholar, he explored liberal forms of painting and eventually established himself as a respected leader in the literary art world. He was appointed an Imperial Household Artist and was also a member of the Imperial Fine Arts Academy.