Yamamura Toyonari (1885-1942)

Born in Tokyo, Yamamura Toyonari studied with Ogata Gekkô and he graduated at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1907. One of his paintings was exhibited at the first Bunten in 1907. At the 1916 Inten, the publisher Watanabe Shôzaburô saw the painting of an actor, and he asked him to make a print of it, which was followed by a series of 12 actor prints. He also made several other woodblock designs, his total oeuvre not exceeding 30 woodblock prints. In 1930 17 of his works were exhibited during the Toledo Museum exhibition.