Saturday 24 February 2018

104 - Chikanobu: The brave wife of Shinozuka Iga no Kami standing on the bank of a lake


Ukiyo-e. Chikanobu.
Chikanobu: The brave wife of Shinozuka Iga no Kami standing on the bank of a lake


This is "The brave wife of Shinozuka Iga no Kami standing on the bank of a lake", by Toyohara Chikanobu. The print is from1866.

Shinozuka Iga no Kami was a retainer of the Nitta no Yoshisada and the Nitta clan. His wife's name was Iga no Tsubone.


Saturday 17 February 2018

103 - Gakutei: Carp


Ukiyo-e. Gakutei. Carp.
Gakutei: Carp

This is Carp, a beautiful painting by Yashima Gakutei (1786-1868) from 1818-1830. Gakutei, technically a very skilled artist, was one of Hokusai's students.


Saturday 10 February 2018

102 - Shunsui: Furyu Utai Sambukutsui


Ukiyo-e. Shunsui. Noh.
Shunsui: Furyu Utai Sambukutsui

This print is A Triptych of Fashionable No Plays (Furyu Utai Sambukutsui) by Miyagawa Shunsui (active about 1740-1760), the founder of the Katsukawa school.  It is from the 1750s.

Shunsui, who didn't only make prints but was a painter as well, was the son and student of Miyagawa Chōshun.


Saturday 3 February 2018

101 - Shunkō: Matsumoto Kōshirō IV as Tsurunosuke


Ukiyo-e. Okubi-e. Yakusha-e. Shunkō.
Shunkō: Matsumoto Kōshirō IV as Tsurunosuke

Katsukawa Shunkō (1743-1812) was the first artist who made okubi-e, so-called large head portraits. He is considered the creator of the genre.

Here we have an example of his art: Matsumoto Kōshirō IV as Tsurunosuke, a portrait of a kabuki actor in a specific role.