Takeuchi Seiho

Takeuchi Seiho was a Japanese painter regarded as one of the founders of modern Japanese-style painting in the Kyoto tradition. Born in Kyoto in 1864, he traveled to Europe, where he studied Western art, and blended what he learned with classical Japanese techniques. He became especially admired for his sensitive, lifelike paintings of animals.

His close observation gave his creatures real character and presence, while his landscapes kept the elegance of Japanese tradition. As a teacher he shaped many leading painters of the next generation. Seiho received top national honors and is remembered as a central figure in the story of modern Japanese painting.