Background
Gaho Hashimoto was born in 1835, Edo (now Tokyo). He was the son of Seien Kano, a painter.
Gaho Hashimoto was born in 1835, Edo (now Tokyo). He was the son of Seien Kano, a painter.
At the age of 12, he became a disciple of Masanobu Kano and became the top disciple ten years later.
At the downfall of the Shogunate in 1868, the public lost interest in arts and he had to eke out a living by painting on folding fans or making bridges of the samisen. Moreover, his wife became mentally deranged to add to his troubles. Secured a position as a draughtsman in the Naval Academy (1871) at a salary of ¥8 a month and devoted himself to painting.
When Tenshin (Kakuzo) Okakura, the noted art critic, established the Paintings Research Institute in the Education Ministry upon his return from a European and American tour (1889), he was made a member of it. Upon the establishment of the Tokyo Fine Arts School, he was appointed a professor. Subsequently he was made a member of the Imperial Arts Academy. He and Okakura resigned from the school and together founded the Japan Arts Institute (1898). At first he was under the influence of Tanyu Kano but later was attracted by Sesshu. Learned from Chinese painters of the Sung and Yuan Dynasties and adopted some Western technique.