Kiichi Okamoto

Illustrator of children's art. Born in Hyogo Prefecture. Aiming to become an oil painter, he first joined the Hakuba Society and was taught by Kuroda Seiki. In 1915 (Taisho 4), he drew illustrations for "Arabian Nights" (Fuzanbo) which were well received, and he then set out on the path of becoming an illustrator of children's art. He illustrated fairy tales and legends by Grimm, Andersen, Aesop, and others, and built a new artistic field in the world of illustrations and children's art. His style was based on precise sketching, made use of line drawings, and was filled with love for young children, inviting bright dreams. His works published in the magazine "Kodomo no Kuni" from the end of the Taisho period to the beginning of the Showa period are particularly famous.

[Shinichi Nagai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

童画家。兵庫県生まれ。油絵を志して初め白馬(はくば)会に入り、黒田清輝(せいき)の指導を受けた。1915年（大正4）『アラビアン・ナイト』（冨山房(ふざんぼう)）の挿絵を描いて好評を得、その後童画家としての道を歩んだ。グリム、アンデルセン、イソップなど童話、伝説の挿絵の筆をとって、挿絵、童画の世界に新しい芸域を築いた。画風は的確なデッサンを基礎に、線描を生かしたもので、幼い者への愛情を込めた、明るい夢を誘うものであった。大正末から昭和初めにかけて雑誌『コドモノクニ』に発表した作品はとくに有名である。

［永井信一］

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