Origins & Early Life

Shinsui Itō (Japanese: 伊東 深水, romanized: Itō Shinsui; 4 February 1898 – 8 May 1972) was the pseudonym of a Nihonga painter and ukiyo-e woodblock print artist in Taishō- and Shōwa-period Japan. He was one of the great names of the shin-hanga art movement, which revitalized the traditional art after it began to decline with the advent of photography in the early 20th century. His real name was Itō Hajime (Japanese: 伊東 一). Itō was born in the Fukagawa district of Tokyo.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After unwise investments bankrupted his father's business, he was forced to drop out of elementary school in the third grade and became a live-in apprentice at a printing shop. It was in this manner that he became interested in printing techniques and also in the arts. In 1911, having been introduced to Kaburagi Kiyokata by the nihonga painter Yuki Somei, Itō was accepted as his apprentice, (who gave him the pseudonym of "Shinsui") and issued his first woodblock print the following year. His talent was soon apparent, and from the following year, his paintings were entered in public exhibitions. In 1912, his works were first shown by the Tatsumi gakai ("Southeast Painting Society") and later works were displayed...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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