In the Meiji period, the Japanese government set a national goal of westernization and modernization, and therefore, also in the art field, hired foreigners taught Japanese, and since France was deemed the home of art, some Japanese went there for study.
明治時代になると、西洋化近代化が国家目標になり、美術分野でもお雇い外国人による指導が行われ、芸術の本場と考えられたフランスへ留学する者もいた。