Komai Tetsuro

Komai Tetsurō ( Japanese 駒 井 哲 郎 ; born June 14, 1920 in Tōkyō ; died November 20, 1976 ) was a Japanese graphic artist .

Live and act

Komai Tetsurō came into contact with the engraving technique in 1934 while studying at the middle school of Keiō University and decided in 1938 to study at the "Tōkyō bijutsu gakkō" (東京 美術 学校), the forerunner of today's University of the Arts Tōkyō ( Geidai). In 1941 he was shown at the Ministry of Culture's annual exhibition.

After the Pacific War he became known for works such as "Memories" (思 い 出, Omoide) and "Beginning of Dreams" (夢 の 始 ま り, Yume no hajimari). He had his first solo exhibition with etchings in 1953. During this time he became a member of the "Nippon Print Association" (日本 版画 会, Nihon hanga kyōkai) in 1951, became a member of the Shunyō-kai (春陽 会) artists' association in 1954 and was involved in the founding of the "Association of Japanese Copper Engravers" (日本 銅版 画家 協会, Nihon dōhangaka kyōkai) involved in 1956.

Komai traveled to France in 1957 and stayed there for a year. After his return he published a number of illustrated collections of poetry. He received the "Bridgestone Museum of Art Award" at the 34th "Japan International Art Exhibition".

After his work as a lecturer at the Tama Art School and other institutions, Komai became a professor at Geidai in 1946. His masterpieces include “A Moment of Illusion” (束 の 間 の 幻影, Tsuka no ma no gen'ei), for which he received a prize at the 1st  São Paulo Biennale , and “Tree” (樹, Ju).

One of his students is the German graphic artist Johannes Eidt .

Web links

• Komai Tetsuro, biographies in the Kotobank, Japanese
• Short biography and pictures under "tokinowasuremono"

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus, Komai is the family name, Tetsurō the first name.