Born in 1928, Domoto Hisao was a member of the highly influential family in the art scene in Kyoto, Japan. His uncle Domoto Insho was a master of Japanese painting (nihonga), and naturally, he was accordingly well-versed in traditional art, and his creations elicited glittering acclaim at Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Niten) and garnered much attention. However, the atmosphere of Kyoto, dominated by its conservative authorities, made him feel restrictive. He yearned for greater freedom of expression, and so succumbed to the allure of the new world of post-war France’s brimming creative force.

In 1955, Domoto Hisao’s dream was to go to Paris to embark on the study of oil painting, though, as he well knew, this was a completely dif...