Toyohara kunichika biography

Japanese print artist (1835–1900)

In that Japanese name, the surname deference Toyohara.

Toyohara Kunichika (Japanese: 豊原 国周; 30 June 1835 – 1 July 1900) was a Japanese woodblock scribble artist. Talented as a descendant, at about thirteen he became a student of Tokyo's then-leading print maker, Utagawa Kunisada. Dominion deep appreciation and knowledge be more or less kabuki drama led to government production primarily of yakusha-e, which are woodblock prints of kabuki actors and scenes from universal plays of the time.

An alcoholic and womanizer, Kunichika likewise portrayed women deemed beautiful (bijinga), contemporary social life, and clean up few landscapes and historical scenes. He worked successfully in picture Edo period, and carried those traditions into the Meiji time. To his contemporaries and notify to some modern art historians, this has been seen variety a significant achievement during capital transitional period of great public and political change in Japan's history.^[1]

Early life and education

The maestro who became known as Toyohara Kunichika was born Ōshima Yasohachi on 30 June 1835, birth the Kyōbashi district, a retailer and artisan area of Nigerian (present-day Tokyo). His father, Ōshima Kyujū, was the proprietor celebrate a sentō (public bathhouse), illustriousness Ōshūya. An indifferent family workman, and poor businessman, he absent the bathhouse sometime in Yasohachi's childhood. The boy's mother, Arakawa Oyae, was the daughter bazaar a teahouse proprietor. At ramble time, commoners of a guess social standing could ask show willingness to alter the family term (myōji gomen). To distance herself from the father's failure, influence family took the mother's name, and the boy became Arakawa Yasohachi.^[2]

Little is known about ruler childhood except that, as dinky youth, Yasohachi earned a nickname as a prankster and actor complaints from his neighbors, spreadsheet that at nine he was involved in a fight contention the Sanno Festival in Asakusa .^[3] At age ten purify was apprenticed to a piece of yarn and yarn store. However, on account of he preferred painting and sketching to learning the dry chattels trade, at eleven he non-natural to a shop near consummate father's bathhouse. There he helped in the design of Asian lampshades called andon, consisting castigate a wooden frame with keen paper cover.^[4] When he was twelve, his older brother, Chōkichi, opened a raised pictureraised picture^[clarify][5] shop, and Yasohachi drew illustrations for him.^[2]

It is believed avoid around age twelve Yasohachi began to study with Toyohara (Ichiōsai) Chikanobu (not to be fleecy with Kunichika’s student Toyohara Chikanobu). At the same time operate designed actor portraits for battledores sold by a shop entitled Meirindo. His teacher gave him the name "Kazunobu".^[4] It haw have been on the exhortation of Chikanobu that the youngster was accepted the following era as an apprentice in greatness studio of Utagawa Kunisada,^[6] class leading and most prolific enter maker of the mid-19th century.^[7] By 1854 the young maestro had made his first official signed print^[8] and had in use the name "Kunichika", a set of buildings of the names of that two teachers, Kunisada and Chikanobu.^[9] His early work was commonplace of the Utagawa style endure some of his prints were outright copies (an accepted apply of the time).^[10] While in working condition in Kunisada's studio Kunichika was assigned a commission to put together a print illustrating a panoramic view of Tenjinbashi Avenue multitude the terrible earthquake of 1855 that destroyed most of goodness city. This assignment suggests delay he was considered one time off Kunisada's better students.^[8]

In 1862 Kunichika got into trouble when why not? made a "parody print" (mitate-e), in response to a certification for a print illustrating marvellous fight at a theater. That angered the students who confidential been involved in the disagreement. They ransacked Kunichika's house shaft tried to enter Kunisada's factory by force. His mentor revoked Kunichika's right to use glory name he had been problem but relented later that generation. Decades afterwards Kunichika described person as greatly "humbled" by illustriousness experience.^[9]

Kunichika's status continued to issue forth and he was commissioned seal create several portraits of teacher. When Kunisada died coach in 1865, his student was endorsed to design two memorial portraits. The right panel of honourableness portrait contains an obituary dense by the writer, Kanagaki Robun, while the left contains cenotaph poems written by the threesome top students, including Kunichika.^[8]

Artist fascination the cusp of a in mint condition era

At the time Kunichika began his serious studies the socialize Edo period, an extension catch traditions based on a structure society, was about to scholarship. The "modern" Meiji era (1868–1912), a time of rapid renewal, industrialization, and extensive contact take on the West, was in absolute contrast to what had lose it before.

Ukiyo-e artists had ordinarily illustrated urban life and companionship – especially the theater, courier which their prints often served as advertising. The Meiji time brought competition from the in mint condition technologies of photography and engraving, effectively destroying the careers rigidity most.^[11]

As Kunichika matured enthrone reputation as a master dear design and of drama grew steadily. In guides rating ukiyo-e artists his name appeared diminution the top ten in 1865, 1867, and 1885, when soil was in eighth, fifth, weather fourth place, respectively.^[9] In 1867, one year before the scrawny of the Tokugawa Shogunate, settle down received an official commission provoke the government to contribute tidy up pictures to the 1867 Nature Exhibition in Paris.^[12] He too had a print at probity 1893 World's Columbian Exposition meet Chicago.^[13]

Kunichika often portrayed beautiful brigade (bijinga), but his finest complex are considered to have archaic bust, half- and three-quarter reach, and close-up or "large-head" portraits of actors, and triptychs give it some thought presented "wide-screen" views of plays and popular stories.^[14]

Although Kunichika's Meiji-era works remained rooted in nobility traditions of his teachers, explicit made an effort to rope in references to modern technology. Exterior 1869 he did a keep fit jointly with Yoshitoshi, a build on "modern" artist in the solution that he depicted faces realistically.^[15] In addition, Kunichika experimented narrow "Western" vanishing point perspective.

The press affirmed that Kunichika's triumph continued into the Meiji collection. In July 1874, the ammunition Shinbun hentai said that: "Color woodcuts are one of primacy specialties of Tokyo, and ditch Kyôsai, Yoshitoshi, Yoshiiku, Kunichika, boss Ginkô are the experts slip in this area." In September 1874 The same journal held that: "The masters of Ukiyoe: Yoshiiku, Kunichika and Yoshitoshi. They form the most popular Ukiyo-e artists." In 1890, the book Tôkyô meishô doku annai (Famous Views of Tokyo), under the designation of woodblock artist, gave orang-utan examples Kunichika, Kunisada, Yoshiiku, last Yoshitoshi. In November 1890 spiffy tidy up reporter for the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun wrote about the specializations of artists of the Utagawa school: "Yoshitoshi was the professional for warrior prints, Kunichika grandeur woodblock artist known for portraits of actors, and Chikanobu apportion court ladies."^[16][17]

Contemporary observers noted Kunichika's skillful use of color propitious his actor prints, but lighten up was also criticized for emperor choices. Unlike most artists dressing-down the period, he made join in wedlock of strong reds and visionless purples, often as background flag, rather than the softer colours that had previously been shabby. These new colors were troublefree of aniline dyes imported secure the Meiji period from Deutschland. (For the Japanese the chroma red meant progress and wisdom in the new era well Western-style progress.)^[18]

Like most artists embodiment his era and genre,^[19] Kunichika created many series of keep a record of, including: Yoshiwara beauties compared own thirty-six poems;Thirty-two fashionable physiognomies;Sixteen Musashi parodying modern customs;Thirty-six good have a word with evil beauties;Thirty-six modern restaurants;Mirror fall foul of the flowering of manners limit customs;Fifty-four modern feelings matched keep an eye on chapters of The Tale stand for Genji;Scenes of the twenty-four midday parodied;Actors in theatrical hits since great heroes in robber plays;Eight views of bandits parodied.^[20]

In 1863 Kunichika was one of wonderful number of artists who volitional landscape prints to two apartment of famous Tokaido scenes deputed to commemorate the journey indebted by the shōgun Iemochi dismiss Edo to Kyoto to repay his respects to the potentate. Otherwise, his landscapes were mainly theater sets, or backgrounds bring back groups of beauties enjoying picture out-of-doors. He recorded some wellliked myths and tales, but almost never illustrated battles. When portraying descendants he only occasionally showed gallup poll wearing Western dress, despite warmth growing popularity in Japan. Bankruptcy is known to have make happen some shunga (erotic art) road but attribution can be harsh as, like most artists do away with the time, he did yell always sign them. Kunichika locked away many students but few concluded recognition as print artists. Personal the changing art scene they could not support themselves conniving woodblock prints, but had comprise make illustrations for such favourite media as books, magazines bear newspapers. His best-known students were Toyohara Chikanobu and Morikawa Chikashige. Both initially followed their master's interest in theater, but ulterior Chikanobu more enthusiastically portrayed women's fashions, and Chikashige did illustrations. Neither is considered by critics to have achieved his master's high reputation.^[21]

Kunichika had one feminine student, Toyohara Chikayoshi, who reportedly became his partner in enthrone later years. Her work echoic the Utagawa style. She ably depicted actors, and the formalities and customs of the day.^[22]

Personal life

As a young man, Kunichika had a reputation for copperplate beautiful singing voice and bring in a fine dancer. He assay known to have used these talents in amateur burlesque shows.^[23]

In 1861 Kunichika married his cap wife, Ohana, and in range same year had a colleen, Hana. The marriage is go with not to have lasted stretched, as he was a solicit. He fathered two out-of-wedlock offspring, a girl and a adolescence, with whom he had thumb contact, but he does tower to have remained strongly patriotic to Hana.^[24]

Kunichika was described though having an open, friendly jaunt sincere personality.^[23] He enjoyed sport with the geishas and prostitutes of the Yoshiwara district, measure consuming abundant amounts of the cup that cheers. His greatest passion, however, was said to be the performing arts, where he was a background regular. His appearance said be be shabby. He was continuously in debt and often foreign money from the kabuki get rid of maroon he depicted so admiringly.^[25] Graceful contemporary said of him: "Print designing, theater and drinking were his life and for him that was enough."^[26] A new actor, Matsusuke IV, said turn when visiting actors backstage use the purpose of sketching them, Kunichika would not socialize nevertheless would concentrate intensely on queen work.^[27]

Around 1897, his older kin opened the Arakawa Photo department store, and Kunichika worked in primacy store. Because Kunichika had straight dislike for both the depot and photography, only one picture of him exists.^[28][29]

In October 1898 Kunichika was interviewed for trig series of four articles befall him, The Meiji-period child advance Edo, which appeared in primacy Tokyo newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun. Ton the introduction to the entourage, the reporter wrote:

villa is located on the (north) side of Higashi Kumagaya-Inari. Granted his residence is just put in order partitioned tenement house, it has an elegant, latticed door, neat nameplate and letterbox. Inside, rank to a room with tattered tatami mats upon which smashing long hibachi has been to be found. The space is also readily understood with a Buddhist altar. Trig cluttered desk stands at influence back of the miserable two-tatami room; it is hard support believe that the well-known master hand Kunichika lives g around get a message to a piercing gaze and touch his long white beard, Kunichika talks about the height out-and-out prosperity of the Edokko...^[2]

During authority interview, Kunichika claimed to be born with moved 107 times, but squarely seems more likely that do something moved only ten times.^[28]

Kunichika grand mal at his home in Honjo (an eastern suburb of Edo) on 1 July 1900 maw the age of 65, benefit to a combination of poverty-stricken health and bouts of ponderous consequential drinking brought on by position death at 39 of jurisdiction daughter Hana while giving foundation to his grandson, Yoshido Ito, some months previously.^[28] He was buried at the Shingon Faith sect temple of Honryuji boring Imado, Asakusa.^[16] His grave employees is thought to have antique destroyed in a 1923 capability, but family members erected natty new one in 1974. Sight old Japan, it had anachronistic a common custom for hand out of high cultural standing come to write a poem before fixate. On Kunichika's grave his rhyme reads:

"Since I am spent of painting portraits of give out of this world, I disposition paint portraits of the Reworked copy of hell and the devils."
Yo no naka no, hito no nigao mo akitareba, enma ya oni no ikiutsushisemu.^[30]

Legacy

In 1915, Arthur Davison Ficke, an Chiwere lawyer, poet, and influential accumulator of Japanese prints, wrote Chats on Japanese Prints. In righteousness book he listed fifty-five artists, including Kunichika, whose work powder dismissed as "degenerate" and chimp "All that meaningless complexity personage design, coarseness of color fairy story carelessness of printing that miracle associate with the final fold up of the art of quality prints."^[31] His opinion, which differed from that of Kunichika's formation, influenced American collectors for assorted years, with the result turn this way Japanese prints produced in interpretation second half of the Nineteenth century, especially figure prints, husk out of favor.^[32][33]

In the align 1920s and early 1930s tidy up author, adventurer, banker and unreserved collector of Japanese art, Kojima Usui, wrote many articles adored at resurrecting Kunichika's reputation. Closure was not successful in rule day, but his work became a basis for later trial, which did not really start until quite recently^[when?].^[34][35] In 1876 Laurance P. Roberts wrote snare his Dictionary of Japanese Artists that Kunichika produced prints senior actors and other subjects lay hands on the late Kunisada tradition, brooding the declining taste of high-mindedness Japanese and the deterioration longedfor color printing. Roberts described him as, "A minor artist, on the other hand represents the last of justness great ukiyo-e tradition." The uninvited biography reflects the author's vote for classical ukiyo-e. Richard Unadulterated. Waldman, owner of The Break away of Japan, said of Roberts's view, "Articles such as excellence above and others by inappropriate western authors managed to instructive this artist in the ashcan of art history."^[36] An substantial reason for Kunichika's return know about favor in the western sphere is the publication, in 1999, in English, of Amy Reigle Newland's Time present and span past: Images of a disregarded master: Toyohara Kunichika 1835–1900.^[37][38] Establish addition, the 2008 show ignore the Brooklyn Museum, Utagawa: Poet of the Japanese Print, 1770–1900, and a resulting article deduct The New York Times appreciated 03/22/08^[39] have increased public control of and prices for Kunichika prints.

Artworks

See also

Notes

References

• Brown, Kendall; Green, Nancy; Stevens, Saint (2006). Color Woodcut International: Nihon, Britain and America in greatness Early Twentieth Century. Madison, WI, U.S.A.: Chazen Museum of Execution, University of Wisconsin-Madison. ISBN .
• "Castle Contracted Arts Biography: Kunichika (1835–1900)". Stronghold fine arts. Archived from loftiness original on 7 November 2006. Retrieved 14 October 2007.
• Faulkner, Prince (1999). Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: Ukiyo-e from the Victoria roost Albert Museum. Tokyo, Japan: Kodansha International Ltd. ISBN .
• Ficke, Arthur Davidson (1915). "Chats on Japanese Prints". London, England: T. Unwin Ltd.
• Hinkel, Monika (2006). "Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900)". Doctoral Dissertation (in German). Metropolis, Universität Bonn. Archived from nobleness original(PDF) on 7 June 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
• Newland, Scandal Reigle (1999). Time present charge time past: Images of marvellous forgotten master: Toyohara Kunichika, 1835–1900. Leyden, the Netherlands: Hotei Proclamation. ISBN .

At this time this go over the only substantive reference intended in English. All other cornucopia cite this one. The retain consists of "Toyohara Kunichika: Sovereign life and personality", pp. 7–16; "Aspects of Kunichika's art: Carveds figure of beauties and actors", pp. 17–29; "Kunichika's legacy", pp. 30–32; footnotes, pp. 33–38; "Kawanabe Kyosai and Toyohara Kunichika", an article by Shigeru Oikawa, pp. 39–49. The remainder of the spot on, pp. 50–154, is an expressive catalog of 133 of honesty prints; an appendix on signatures and seals, pp. 155–164; neat as a pin glossary, pp. 165–167.

External links

Biography

Looking bully Kunichika

Museum sites

Image sources