Kunisada (AKA Toyokuni III,1786 - 1864 )
View works signed Toyokuni III
Kunisada, also known as Toyokuni III, was born in the Honjo district of Edo as Kunisada Tsunoda. Kunisada’s family owned a small hereditary ferryboat service. Though his father, an amateur poet, died when Kunisada was a child, the family business provided some financial security. During his childhood, he showed considerable promise in painting and drawing. Due to strong familial ties with literary and theatrical circles, he spent time studying actor portraits.
At age 14, he was admitted to study under Toyokuni, head of the Utagawa school. Kunisada’s woodblock print work embodies the characteristics of the Utagawa school, focusing on traditional subjects such as kabuki, bijin (beautiful women), shunga (erotic prints), and historical prints. His first known print dates to 1807, his first illustrated book to 1808. Kunisada’s art career took off from the beginning. Many of his works became overnight successes and he was considered the “star attraction” of the Utagawa school. He signed his works “Kunisada,” sometimes with the studio names of Gototei and Kochoro affixed. In 1844, he adopted the name of his teacher and became Toyokuni III. Kunisada passed away in 1864 in the same neighborhood that he was born. He was 70 years old. Kunisada was a highly popular, and the most active, ukiyo-e print artist of the 19th century. In his time, his reputation surpassed those of his contemporaries Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.
Ronin Annex | Art & Gifts
Uncover affordable art prints and great values in fine East Asian art from the 18th-21st century in Ronin Annex. From original ukiyo-e woodblock prints and modern reprints, to out-of-print books and conservation supplies, everything in this collection is priced under $500. Unyieldingly beautiful and forever unique, these pieces are perfectly suited for both the new collector and the longtime connoisseur. With over 1000 works of art priced under $500, let Ronin Annex help you find a meaningful gift, decorate your home, protect your collection, and craft your library.
51 Products
Kunisada
Kabuki Actor Nakamura Shikan as Sato Tadanobu
JP5880
Kunisada
Kuro Hankan Yoshitsune (Minamoto Yoshitsune)
JPR-209047
Kunisada
Oni, Peacock, Shishi, Cat and Insect by the Craftman Ichida Shoshichiro of Naniwa
JPR-103982
Kunisada
Memorial Portrait of Sumo Wrestler Hidoshi Rikiya II (1799-1836) Defeating the King of Hell and Two Demons
JP-94573
Kunisada
Kabuki Actor Bando Mitsugoro as Shogun Taro Yoshikado)
JPR-110368
Kunisada
Kabuki Actor Iwai Kumezaburo II as Geisha Koito
JPR-109510
Kunisada
Otsu: Kabuki Actor Onoe Kikugoro as Shimizu no Kanja
JP-110450