About the artist
Fumio Kitaoka was a contemporary Japanese artist and engraver. One of the most versatile Japanese artists of the twentieth century, he covered a wide span of different styles from realistic to abstract, from black and white to strong colors. He also explored diverse woodblock printmaking techniques, including traditional Japanese woodcut and European wood engraving. In 1941, Kitaoka graduated from the Department of Oil Painting at Tokyo University of Arts. In 1942, he became a member of the Japanese Engraving Association. From 1955 to 1956 he stayed in Paris where he studied woodcutting techniques and, beginning in 1957, he took part in the international Tokyo and São Paulo print biennials. Kitaoka participated in multiple solo exhibitions in Japan and the United States, where he often lectured on printmaking.