kamei tōbei, kamei genbei (kamei gengei)
Kamei Tobei (1901-1977): A Kyoto Sosaku Hanga Pioneer Kamei Tobei, born Eiichi Takamatsu in 1901, stands as a pivotal figure in the history of Japanese floral and bird printmaking—specifically within the influential Sosaku Hanga movement. His artistic journey began with formal training at Kyoto Kaiga Semmon Gakko, where he honed his skills under luminaries like Kawabata Ryūshi and Yamada Kōun, absorbing the foundational principles of traditional Japanese painting before dedicating himself to the transformative art of woodblock printing. This dual influence shaped his distinctive style and ce…
The Subject Atlas
A chart of kamei tōbei, kamei genbei (kamei gengei)'s corpus mapped not by date but by subject. Spokes are what they painted; rings are when; and the threads between stars reveal the patrons and places that secretly connect them.
Spokes — Subject
Each arm of the atlas gathers works by what they depict: portraits, sacred scenes, mythologies, and the scientific studies. Click a spoke to swing that cluster to the top.
Rings — Career Period
Distance from the center marks time. The innermost ring is the earliest period; the outermost, the final years. Style matures as you move outward.
Threads — Shared Context
Coloured lines link works bound by the same patron, commission, or theme. Trace a context to watch related clusters light up across subjects.
