Toshinobu Onosato

Toshinobu Onosato (June 8, 1912 November 30, 1986) was a Japanese printmaker. His work frequently included geometric shapes like circles, rectangles, and triangles, leading to his reputation as a pioneer of scientifically oriented design.

Biography Onosato was born on June 8, 1912, in Iida, Nagano. His family moved to Kiryu, Gunma when he was a child. He studied Western-style painting under . In 1935 he had his first exhibition, which was with the Nika Association. The same year he formed a group called "Kokusho" with three other artists who studied under Tsuda. In 1937, he helped to found the Free Artists Association (Jiyu Bijutsuka Kyokai).

During World War II, Onosato conscripted to the Japanese Army and was sent to Manchuria. He was captured and interned in Siberia for three years. He returned to Japan in 1948. He married Tomoko Onosato in 1951. He decided to quit the Free Artists Association in 1956, and worked as an independent artist from that point on.

Onosato died of pneumonia on November 30, 1986.

Style Onosato works with geometric forms, usually circles. From afar, the shapes seem exact, but up close there are clear imperfections. He is considered a pioneer of scientifically oriented design. The patterns create a path for the viewer's eye to follow, and his use of color works as another guide.

Museums that hold Onosato's work include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.