京都の料理屋「亀政」の家に生まれ、幸野楳嶺に入門して日本画を学びました。1900年、パリ万国博覧会の視察でヨーロッパを訪れ、西洋の写実的な絵から大きな刺激を受けます。日本画の伝統に西洋の観察の目を取り入れ、とくに動物画を得意としました。「東の大観、西の栖鳳」と並び称される京都画壇のリーダーで、多くの弟子を育てています。
Seihō was born in Kyoto, where his family ran a restaurant called Kamemasa. He studied Japanese-style painting with Kōno Bairei. In 1900 he went to Europe to see the Paris World's Fair and was deeply inspired by realistic Western art. He mixed close Western-style observation with Japanese traditions and was especially good at animals. He led the Kyoto art world, and people said, 'Taikan in the east, Seihō in the west.' He also trained many students.
