Ryuzaburō Umehara (1888–1986) was born in Kyoto and is regarded as one of the leading figures in modern Japanese Western-style painting. He travelled to France at a young age, where he studied the colour and form of Western painting in depth, including receiving direct instruction from Renoir. Upon his return to Japan, he blended this experience with the country’s climate and aesthetic sensibilities, painting figures, nudes, still lifes, Mount Fuji and scenes of Beijing in powerful colours. Although working in oil, he incorporated Eastern sensibilities such as gold backgrounds and decorative compositions, establishing a unique, splendid and majestic style. In 1952, he was awarded the Order of Culture.

When viewing Umehara’s works, one is first drawn in by the sheer vigour of the colours themselves. Reds, blues and greens resonate boldly with one another, and the figures and landscapes emerge with a presence even richer than reality. It feels as though he did not merely bring Western painting back to Japan, but rather re-created it anew through his Japanese sensibility. The coexistence of splendour and dignity within his bold brushwork is a major source of Ryuzaburo Umehara’s appeal.