Born in Iida City in Nagano Prefecture, Onosato studied painting in Tokyo with Tsuda Seifu (1880-1978) a well-known Western-style painter. He exhibited with the Nika artists' association and belonged to the Jiyu cultural group from 1938 to 1956. His one-man exhibitions in Tokyo began in 1953 at the Takemiya Gallery, followed by exhibitions at the Mimatsu Gallery in 1955, the Kabutoya Gallery in 1958, and the Minami Gallery in 1962. Additional solo shows were at the Gress Gallery in Washington, D.C. 1960 and 1961, the Homma Museum of Art in Sakata City, Japan in 1971, the Kornfeld Gallery in Zurich in 1972, the Soker-Kaseman Gallery in San Francisco in 1980, Mikimoto Hall in Tokyo in 1980 and the Onosato Association in Katsuyama City in 1981. His work is included in numerous museum and private collections.

For other paintings by Onosato Toshinobu Sold in these Rooms see lots 19 and 31, both in the sale of Contemporary Japanese Art from the Estate of Blanchette H. Rockefeller, held on April 27, 1994.