Itoh Seiu

Itoh Seiu

Information from Seiu/ Itoh Seiu on NawaPedia website Updated: 04/23

Itoh Seiu "grandfather kinbaku " (as the Japanese call him).

Ito Hajime (✦1882-†1961) was born in Tokyo, in the Asakusa region. He was the eldest son of Kintaro Ito, a sculptor and metal engraver.

At the age of 9 he was accepted as an apprentice by the artist Teiu Nozawa, a member of one of the major drawing schools, at 12 he became an apprentice to an ivory carver. At age 10, he noticed that scenes of punishment and violence in theatrical productions were attractive to him. At the same age, Ito learned from his mother a story called Chujou Hime (Princess Chujou). The torture scene in the snow described in this story made a strong impression on the boy. Already at the age of 13, he began to collect drawings dedicated to torture. At the same age, he took the name Seiu (meaning "clear, clean" and "rain"). The craving for scenes of torture of women was strong, although not yet expressed in the direction of his work.

But at the age of 34, he met Kaneyo Sasaki (Oyou) and began to paint Seme-e (paintings depicting suffering and torture). From that moment on, Itoh Seiu did not deviate from the chosen path. There were ups and downs, recognition and persecution, a lot of work and a fire that destroyed a huge part of the creative heritage. There was a difficult personal life and interesting old age.

He lived to be 79 years old, still full of strength, continuing to knit and draw ...

In 1977, 16 years after Seiu Ito's death, director Noboru Tanaka completed the film Beauty's Exotic Dance: Torture!, which was based on Seiu Ito's biography.