Nakamura Gakuryo was born in Izu in Shizuoka Prefecture and, as a member of Maeda Seison's (1885-1977) [see lot 467] discussion group Kojikai, he helped foster the movement that rejuvenated traditional Japanese painting in the twentieth century. He first studied with Kawabe Mitate (1837-1905) and graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1912. A prominent figure in the Nitten, he was a member of the Japan Art Academy and in 1960 won the Mainichi and Asahi Shimbun prizes. He received the Order of Cultural Merit in 1962.