Tomioka, Tessai (1837 - 1924)

Born in Kyoto, Japan, Tomioka Tessai (富岡鉄斎) was a prolific scholar and artist. Considered one of the most important artists of his generation, he played a significant role in revitalizing bunjinga or (literati painting) or nanga (southern school painting), which derives from Chinese painting. He was a scholar of classical Chinese philosophy and literature and Japanese classics, who also studied Buddhism. He was an innovative artist and calligrapher, and considered to be the last nanga (southern) or bunjinga (literati) painter to receive significant attention, and a prominent advocate of Japanese traditional painting. Tessai was a prolific painter, who is said to have produced around 10,000 paintings throughout his life. He also served as a Shinto priest. He was known as Tomioka Yūsuke and later Tomioka Dōsetsu, and adopted various pseudonyms including Tessai, Tesshi, Tetsugai, Muken and Hyakuren.