About the Artist
The author and illustrator of Illustrations of Japanese Aquatic Plants and Animals is Japanese artist Kumataro Itō. Information on the artist although not especially plentiful is interesting and notes that he produced a very similar series of highly detailed images after several trips on board the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross during its expeditions to the Philippines from 1907-1910. As a skilled artist he was taken aboard as a sort of human color camera.
An unfortunately small amount of information can be found on Itō although one especially helpful resource is a 1999 published paper by Victor G. Springer titled “Kumataro Itō, Japanese Artist on Board the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross During the Philippine Expedition, 1907–1910” he notes that Itō studied under the artist Gyozan Nakajima. The British Museum website cites Nakajima as a Japanese painter and print artist who lived from 1832-1914, not much else is available that is sure to pertain directly to Nakajima.
However little biographical data there may be on Itō it can be safe to speculate that he was likely an artist held in high regard. He was asked to go on several trips with the Albatross and after positive reviews of his work during this time he was also asked to Washington D.C. for further employment and a possible exhibition. Additionally he was asked to produce the two volume commemorative Illustrations of Japanese Aquatic Plants and Animals set for the Japanese Fisheries Society. Ultimately however the majority of documentation available regarding Itō is centered around his employment as a naturalist artist during his trips to the Philippines rather than around this exquisite set.