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.


Saturday 27 January 2018

100 - Gekkō: The Gathering of 11 Generals


Ukiyo-e. Gekkō.
Gekkō: The Gathering of 11 Generals


Here is a triptych called The Battle at Tien-Chuang-Tai: The Gathering of 11 Generals [Denshôdai no yaku, shôkô jûichimei dôsho ni kai su], and is from  May, 1895. The artist is Ogata Gekkō.

Gekkō made many prints with motives from  the Sino-Japanese war, 1894-1895, which he witnessed as a war correspondent.

According to the script, the people on this picture are Yamaji, Chūjō (Lieutenant-General); Oshima Hisanao, Shōsō (Major-General); Nozu, Taishō (Marshal); Katsura, Chūjō; Nogi, Shōsō; Nishi, Shōsō; Oshima Yoshimasa, Shōsō; Oseko, Shōsō; Kuroda, Shōsō; Oku, Chūjō; Ogawa, Shōsō.


Saturday 20 January 2018

99 - Settei: Painting


Ukiyo-e. Settei.
Settei: Painting

This is a painting by Tsukioka Settei (1710-1786). Even if it is unsigned, there is no real doubt about the artist. As for dating, it must be from 1767-1773.

For the background, Settei used silver - although now strongly oxidised. It should resemble mirrors and it is likely that the woman was reflected there.

Saturday 13 January 2018

98 - Kōgyo: Dōjōji


Ukiyo-e. Kōgyo. Dojoji. Painting.
Kōgyo: Dōjōji

Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927) made this painting on silk. Among his teachers were as well Tsukioka Yoshitoshi as Ogata Gekkō. Yoshitoshi later adopted Kōgyo as his son.

Dojoji is a Noh play. Kōgyo occasionally made pictures with other motives, but most of his works are scenes from Noh theatre.