Mitsutani Kunishirō

During his primary education, he displayed an early aptitude for art and was discovered by Yoshitomi Asajirō [ja], a well-known artist who was serving as a substitute teacher.

The following year, he began studies with Koyama Shōtarō at his private school; "Fudō-sha" (不同社; roughly, Diversity).

In 1900, he went to Europe to exhibit at the Exposition Universelle, won an award, and stayed there through 1901; taking a few lessons from Jean-Paul Laurens.

Upon his return, he and some like-minded artists created "Pacific Art [ja]", an association devoted to Western-style painting.

He returned to Europe in 1911 for further studies, with financial assistance from Magosaburō Ōhara, and lived there until the outbreak of World War I in 1914.