Kitano Tsunetomi (1880 - 1947)

Ukiyo-e painter, Japanese-style painter & printmaker.

Tsunetomi was born in Kanazawa city of Ishikawa Prefecture on May 28 of the 13th year of the Meiji era.
His real given name was Tomitaro.
After he graduated from the elementary school, he started acquiring techniques of woodblock print under Nishida Suketaro.
At the same time, he also start studying the Nanga style painting.
However, he changed his masters for woodblock print several times in a short while.
He moved to Osaka, and he became a disciple of Inano Toshitsune, Ukiyo-e painter who was a pupil of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi.
In 1899, Tsunetomi did a debut as an illustrator with illustration on the news paper "Shin-Nihon".
In the meantime, he continued to research painting techniques including Western painting techniques.
In 1910, he was accepted for the 4th Bunten Exhibition for the first time.
Next year,He won the third prize of the 5th Bunten Exhibition, and, his name became well-known as a Japanese-style painter.
Especially, decadent Bijin (=Japanese beautiful women) drawn by Tsunetomi attained popularity.
Though, since he failed the 7th Bunten Exhibition held in 1921, he changed his stage to the Inten Exhibitions (Exhibition held by the Nihon Bijutsu-In).

Tsunetomi established the Taisho Bijutsu-Kai together with Noda Kyuho in 1912, the Osaka Bijutsu Kyokai in 1915.
He cultivated many painters and was a leading figure of the Osaka circle of painters.
Tsunetomi deceased on May 20 of the 22nd year of the Showa era at the age of 67.