Okamoto Tarō
Okamoto Tarō;Tarō Okamoto
Place: Kawasaki
Born: 1911
Death: 1996
Biography:
Okamoto Tarō was a Japanese artist, art theorist, and writer. He is particularly well known for his avant-garde paintings and public sculptures and murals, and for his theorization of traditional Japanese culture and avant-garde artistic practices. Okamoto Tarō was born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan in 1911. He died in Tokyo in 1996.
Early Life and Education
In 1927, at the age of sixteen, Okamoto Tarō began to take lessons in oil painting from the artist Wada Eisaku. In 1929, Okamoto Tarō entered the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (today Tokyo University of the Arts) in the oil painting department. In 1929, Okamoto Tarō and his family accompanied his father on a trip to Europe to cover the London Naval Treaty of 1930. While in Europe, Okamoto Tarō spent time in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Paris, where he rented a studio in Montparnasse and enrolled in a lycée in Choisy-le-Roi.
Career
Much of Okamoto Tarō's formative education occurred during his stay in Paris. In 1932, he began attending classes at the Sorbonne, and enrolled in the literature department where he studied philosophy and specialized in aesthetics. Okamoto Tarō also began to establish himself as a painter in Paris, working with the Parisian avant-garde artists. He was inspired by Pablo Picasso's Pitcher and Bowl of Fruit (1931) which he saw at the Paul Rosenberg Gallery, and in 1932 he began successfully submitting his own paintings for exhibition at the Salon des surindépendants.
Artistic Style
Okamoto Tarō's artistic style is characterized by its unique blend of traditional Japanese culture and avant-garde artistic practices. His use of bold colors and intricate details creates a sense of opulence and luxury, while his incorporation of gold and silver leaf adds an extra layer of depth and complexity to his work. Some of Okamoto Tarō's notable works can be found at the Museum of Modern Art, including Flower and Bird and Landscape with Red Figure. These paintings showcase Okamoto Tarō's ability to balance traditional Japanese motifs with modern artistic techniques.
Legacy
Okamoto Tarō's legacy can be seen in the many artists who have followed in his footsteps. His unique blend of traditional and modern styles has inspired a new generation of artists, and his use of bold colors and intricate details has become a hallmark of Japanese art. For more information on Okamoto Tarō and his work, visit the Wikioo.org website, which features a comprehensive collection of his paintings and sculptures. The website also includes links to other notable artists, such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige, who have made significant contributions to the world of Japanese art.
