Tomoo Inagaki (1902-1980, Japanese) at The Great Cat

Tomoo Inagaki (1902-1980, Japanese)

Tomoo Inagaki (1902-1980, Japanese) was an important Sosaku Hanga woodprint artist who specialized in landscapes and cats. Originally a worker in a steel company, Inagaki was a self- taught artist. He held his first exhibition in 1924, and in 1932 he became a member of the Nihon Hanga Kōkai (Japan Print Association). To make ends meet, Inagaki worked as a teacher at the Commercial Artists Association School from 1930-1951 and then moved to the Japan Advertising Art School. Inagaki’s art was popular after WWII, and he was invited to exhibitions in Paris, Tokyo and Lugano.

Inagaki is best known for his modernistic and stylized prints of cats which he began producing in 1951. Inagaki’s cats are simple and semi-abstract and are almost always are done in grey, black or brown colors. His cat subjects are found displaying almost every cat pose and behavior. Obviously a cat lover himself, he was able to observe these feline behaviors in his own cats.

In discussing his work in 1956, the artist revealed, “I like some qualities and reject others in Matisse and Picasso, but, above all, I was influenced by Onchi and Hiratsuka.”

Tomoo Inagaki died of a brain tumor in May, 1980.

Black Cat 2

Black Cat at Dusk

Black Cat with Orange Background

Cat and Camellia

Cat and Christmas Tree

Cat and Kittens

Cat Friends

Cat in Bush

Cat in the Moonlight

Cat Love

Cat Parade

Cat Walking

Cat with Pendant

Cats at Dawn

Cats Black and White

Cats by Fireplace

Cat’s Makeup

Chatting Cats

Cats in Love 1957

Long Tailed Cat

Portrait of a Cat

Sleeping Cat

Stretching Cats

Two Cats

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