Togyu Okumura

Togyu Okumura (奥村 土牛, Okumura Togyu, 18 February 1889 – 25 September 1990) was a famous Japanese modern painter of the nihonga style of watercolour painting. His original name was Yoshizo (義三)。 The name Togyu referred to a poem from his father who ran a publishing business.

Okumura is characterized by his works which achieve unusual, exquisute quality of colours through the application of the white gofun pigment 100 or 200 times as foundation.

Biographical details

• 1889 Born in Kyōbashi, Tokyo.
• 1900 Completes shogakko (junior school).
• 1926 Makes the acquaintance of Hayami Gyoshu.
• 1959 Becomes a director of the Japanese fine arts institute.
• 1962 Awarded the Japanese Order of Culture.
• 1978 Appointed chief director of the Japanese fine arts institute.
• 1990 Dies aged 101.

Major works

• 鳴門 （1959, 128.5×160.5 cm）
• 鹿 （1968,　114.7×145.0 cm）
• 醍醐 （1972,　135.5×115.8 cm）
• 閑日 （1974,　73.0×100.0 cm）
• 吉野 （1977,　108.6×184.4 cm）
• 富士宮の富士 （1982,　76.1×115.1 cm）
• 蠣 （1984,　102.0×131.0 cm）
• 寅 （1985,　16.2×49.5 cm）

Books and collections of work

• スケッチそのをりをり （collection of sketches, 1917）
• 牛のあゆみ （autobiography, 1974）

Major collections holding works by Okumura

• Okumura Togyu Memorial Museum (Nagano prefecture)
• Yamatane Museum

References

• Japanese arts, what & where? Tatsuo Takayama - 1987