was a Japanese painter, one of the last to paint in the style of the Kanō school. He is also considered the founder of Nihonga and was an educator who trained many Nihonga painters. Many of the painters recognized in later generations as great Nihonga masters, such as Yokoyama Taikan, Shimomura Kanzan, Hishida Shunsō and Kawai Gyokudō, were his students. He was one of the first five painters to be appointed as an Imperial Household Artist and was one of the most authoritative painters in Japan at that time.
Biography
thumb|160px|left|White Clouds and Autumn Leaves (白雲紅樹). 1890, [[Important Cultural Property (Japan)|Important Cultural Property. Collection of Tokyo University of the Arts]]
Born in Edo, he was a son of a painter. After studying under his father, he continued his studies with Kanō Shōsen'in, and was also influenced by the work of Kanō Hōgai. He created many works in the traditional style of the Kanō school, employing color and gold, or otherwise utilizing monochrome black ink. Although his paintings are predominantly traditional, employing traditional methods and depicting traditional subjects, Gahō, like Kanō Hōgai, also incorporated elements of Western art. Brushstrokes, various types of detailing, and particularly attempts at proper depiction of perspective are evident in Gahō's paintings and in many others of this period.
His talent led him to become a studio director at the age of 22 and he was placed in charge of his master's school.