Born in France in 1902, Jacoulet moved to Japan with his family in 1906. a sickly child he sent much time drawing and was instructed in Japanese brushwork as well as Western-style painting in oils and pastels. He traveled to the South Pacific a great deal, and spent time in Korea and Manchuria and the influence of his travels are clearly seen in his works. His later life was in Karuizawa, where he lived until his death in 1960.