Minoru Okada (xx) Japan, La Gaude Alpes-maritimes "village Fountain" Watercolor

Minoru OKADA (XX) Japon, La Gaude Alpes-maritimes "Village Fountain" Watercolor

The painter Okada Minoru (1888-) was a Japanese painter, exiled in Paris and who lived in Montmartre and Montparnasse. He followed Soutine to Cagnes sur mer and married there in 1928 a Danish woman, Ingeborg Sevaldsen, sister of Eline Eriksen, the model for the "Mermaid of Copenhagen". A first son was born in 1929, Auguste Taibi "Erick" Okada. Then, just like Soutine, Okada came to La Gaude and settled there permanently. His second son, "Otto" Masumi Okada, was born there in 1935. Poor like many painters, he left La Gaude and Cagnes a large number of watercolors that he offered in recognition of services rendered by families for meals, layette, transportation, etc. The entire Okada family lived in La Gaude, in the La Pagane district in the Simond house, and did not return to Japan until the declaration of the Second World War. The two sons became famous in Japan. The older brother, Taibi "Erick" Okada, was an actor and presenter known professionally as Hein Eric. He was the master of ceremonies for the Beatles in 1966 during their concert in Tokyo. Taibi returned to see La Gaude in 1991. The youngest brother, Masumi Okada was a professional film and television actor, singer, comedian, and film producer. He will appear in more than 140 films and will also be known by his nickname, "Fanfan". Nicknamed the Japanese James Dean, he returned to Nice and La Gaude in 1961, was received by Jean Médecin who gave him the medal of the city of Nice.