Takashima Hokkai (1850-1931)was 35 years old when, as an official of the Meiji government, he was sent to the northern French city of Nancy to study forestry.
Although Takashima had always been a good draughtsman, he did not go to France as a painter.

Japonism was in vogue in Nancy at the time and many people were interested in Japanese art. His teacher recognized his talent for painting and gave him the opportunity to perform in front of many people. When he was asked to show his skills, he agreed and his ink and wash paintings had a great impact on the artists in Nancy and then he became a person of note.
Among them was Emile Gallé(1846-1904), the owner of a glass workshop, who was particularly attracted by Takashima’s paintings.
An exchange began between Takashima and Gallé, and the Japanese artistic methodology they learned was used to create a series of glass works that were passed on through the exchange and gained a great reputation.
Gallé’s work reflected the use of voids and the black of sumi-e (ink painting), which he adopted from Takashima’s knowledge and techniques.
The glassware produced in Nancy, which at the time was inferior in design to the metropolis of Paris, attracted much attention for its incorporation of authentic Japanese artistic expression.

Takashima himself formally launched his career as a painter on his return to Japan. Despite the trend at the time for most painters to return from Europe and market themselves as Western style painters, Takashima consistently painted in the Japanese style throughout his life.