26 - Eisen: Summer

Eisen: Summer

This is a kachô-e by Keisai Eisen (1790-1848). It is called "Summer" and is from a series named "The Four Seasons", which Eisen created in 1820.

The print is mainly blue. That makes it an "aizuri-e". The little added orange doesn't change that. The term denotes prints being entirely in blue or where blue is dominating.
 

25 - Toyonobu: Courtesan Standing in Front of a Building

Toyonobu: Courtesan Standing in Front of a Building

I like this bijinga. The geometric background might be a little overbearing, but the figure is graceful with a beautiful posture, and the geometric background provides an interesting contrast to the girl. This is a benizuri-e, a print in pink tones, a technique which was used before the invention of nishiki-e (full colour prints). The creator is Ishikawa Toyonobu (1711-1785), about whom we know very little. The print is named Courtesan Standing in Front of a Building.

24 - Hirosada: Kataoka Gadô II as Matsugae Tetsunosuke and Arashi Rikan III as Saibara Kageyu

Hirosada: Kataoka Gadô II as Matsugae Tetsunosuke and Arashi Rikan III as Saibara Kageyu, 1848

Very little is known about Konishi Hirosada (active ca. 1810-1864 or 1865). However, he was the chief representative of the so-called Osaka school, although he had studied under Utagawa Kunimasu and Utagawa Kunisada in Edo. He used several different names, including Utagawa Hirosada.

As the Osaka school in its entirety, Hirosada devoted himself mainly to kabuki motives, yakusha-e. The Osaka school also distinguished itself by quality of material and extraordinary craftsmanship. Their prints have not aged much. Colours are still almost intact.

Hirosada is sometimes regarded as a genius, and perhaps he was. In any case he was an extraordinarily skilful portraitist, with a style that was expressive without being too garish. A tasteful expressionism. In the kabuki motives he shows a fine sense of drama without exaggerating.

This print is Actors Kataoka Gadô II as Matsugae Tetsunosuke (right) and Arashi Rikan III as Saibara Kageyu (left), in the play Meiboku Sendaihagi, performed at the Chikugo Theatre in Osaka in 1948. The print is a part of the series Tales of Renowned Heroes (Kômei buyû den).

23 - Kuniyoshi: Doll Parodies

Kuniyoshi: Doll Parodies (Ningyô mitate), 1856

This is a mitate-e from 1856 by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861). It is named Doll Parodies (Ningyô mitate), and depicts Shintoism, Confucianism and Buddhism (Shinjubutsu).

We see Hinzuru and Uzume dancing in the foreground, while Confucius and Mencius (sitting) play Go behind them.

Uzume (left) is a Shinto goddess of joy and happiness, Hinzuru (right) is a Buddhist saint. Confucius is the founder of Confucianism, and Mencius is the most famous Confucian philosopher after Confucius himself.

The print depicts “dolls” in the Kannon Temple in Asakusa, yet these were not dolls in a conventional sense. They were life-size statues, clothed and realistic.

1855-1856, Kuniyoshi made a whole series of prints of the dolls displayed in the Kannon Temple, Tôsei mitate ningyô no uchi (當盛見立人形之内), of which “Doll Parodies” is one.