"B. Kyoto. Given name Kenjiro. Studied Japanese-style painting with Nishibori Tosui from 1901; studied ukiyo-e" from 1909. Entered Kyoto Specialist School of Painting in 1914; grad. 1918. Studied with Takeuchi Seiho. Made small hanga portraits of actors ca. 1916 to stimulate revival of hanga in Kansai. Exhibited paintings at Bunten in 1917. Held position in charge of stage design for the Shochiku theater company. Postgraduate course in Kyoto City Specialist School of Painting completed in 1920. Founded study group on custom and tradition. In 1925 exhibited with Miki Suizan. After that did not exhibit but made prints and commissioned paintings. Known as a Japanese-style painter, writer, stage designer and adviser to Shochiku kabuki theater. Interested in music, particularly in playing the biwa and kokyu, stringed instruments of Chinese origen. Collector of ukiyo-e and author of several books, including one on ukiyo-e and publishing societies (1919) and 2 volumes on ghosts in pictures (1925). Between 1922 and 1924 a collection of actor prints as well as scenes of Kyoto riverbanks and maiko were published by Sato Shotaro. Most if mot all were carved by Maeda (probably Kentaro) and printed by Oiwa. Ten were shown at the Toledo Museum in 1930." --'Guide to Modern Japanese Prints: 1900-1975' by H. Merritt and N. Yamada




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