Kōno Bairei

Painter and xilographer (1844 – 1895)

Painter and woodcutter, Kōno Bairei was born and worked mainly in Kyoto.

In 1878 he began working to establish an art school, which he opened in 1880 as the "Kyoto School of Painting." 

In 1893 he became a member of the Imperial Household Art Commission.

A prominent figure in Kyoto art circles, he organized and promoted many art groups. He made "kachoga" (works depicting birds and flowers) and landscapes with accents of Western realism.