TARO OKAMOTO (1911-1996) was a Japanese artist. His work is largely characterized by his interest in ethnology.

He spent a significant portion of his career in Europe, studying under Marcel Mauss at the Sorbonne and spending time among intellectuals and artists who would become the most recognized of the 20th century, such as George Bataille and André Breton. 

The German invasion of France led him back to Japan, where he continued his prolific career and writings. He died in 1996, in Tokyo, and in 1998 his Aoyama studio was opened as the Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum, which hosts a fascinating accumulation of the artist's life and work.