Gentaro Koito1887~1978 小絲源太郎

Koito Gentaro was a Japanese Western-style painter and woodblock printmaker born on July 13, 1887 in the Shitaya ward of Tokyo (now Taito ward). He studied under Fujishima Takeji at the Hakuba Society and developed a distinctive style characterized by clear forms and vivid colors evolving from Impressionist influences. He received the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1954 and became an Academy member in 1959. He also served as a professor at both Kanazawa Art University and Tokyo University of the Arts, mentoring younger artists. In 1965 he received the Order of Culture, and he passed away on February 6, 1978 at age 90.