Umehara Ryûzaburô was born in Kyoto. He was one of the students of Asai Chû (1856-1907), and like him he went to Paris to study painting. Between 1908 and 1913 he was a student of Auguste Renoir. He was also influenced by Gauguin, Matisse and Emil Nolde. After seven years in Japan he returned to France in 1920 for a year.
On his return he became one of the most influential painters in Japan. He was a member and founder of many artists' groups. In 1932 he became a member of the Imperial Art Academy, he became a professor at the Tokyo University of Fine Arts, and he received many prizes throughout his long life.
