Kunichika (1835 - 1900 )
Kunichika Toyohara was one the most important woodblock print artists of the Meiji period (1868-1912). Best known for his dramatic actor portraits (yakusha-e.), Kunichika ushered ukiyo-e into a new era of color printmaking. At his hand, the floating world came to life in rich purples and deep reds. Even as new artistic mediums became popular in Japan, Kunichika championed the genres and aesthetics of ukiyo-e in vivid color.
Born as Yasohachi Oshima in 1835, Kunichika's father was a public bathhouse proprietor in Kyobashi district, home to many artists and merchants. He changed assumed his mother's family name, Arakawa, during his youth. Kunichika began his artistic training around the age of 12 under Chikanobu Ichiosai Toyohara. Roughly two years later, Kunichika apprenticed under Kunisada Utagawa (1786-1865) and began to produce actor prints in the 1850s. Though he worked in the style of the Utagawa school, he never used the Utagawa name. Kunichika took his artist name from names of his two teachers. After more than a decade in Kunisada's studio, Kunichika's popularity rose as he stepped out as an independent artist in the 1860s and 1870s.
Though Kunichika produced some bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), historical prints, and journalistic illustrations, his passion lay with the kabuki theater. From sprawling triptychs to okubi-e (large-head portraits) rich in emotion, Kunichika established himself as the leading artist of yakusha-e (actor prints). He immersed himself in the kabuki world, regularly spending time backstage, sketching the actors, socializing with the theatrical figures, and watching the plays. This wealth of personal experience in the theater lent an intimacy to his bold designs. Kunichika's notable students include Chikanobu Yoshu (1838-1912) and Chikashige Morikawa (fl. 1869-1882).
Ukiyo-e | Japanese Woodblock Prints | Ronin Gallery
Explore the largest collection of 17th-19th century original Japanese woodblock prints in the United States at Ronin Gallery. Ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” captured the exciting urban popular culture of the Edo period (1603-1868), promoting its beauty, fashions and heroes. While the Buddhist term ukiyo originally emphasized the transitory nature of human life, during the 17th century the term gradually shifted its reference to the ephemeral world of pleasure and indulgence. From 17th century Buddhist woodcuts through 19th century Japanese ukiyo-e print masters, enter a vibrant world of enchanting landscapes and sublime nature studies by Hokusai and Hiroshige, dramatic kabuki actors by Sharaku and Toyokuni, fierce samurai by Kuniyoshi, and elegant beauties by Utamaro. With the ravages of time, war and fire, today few of these precious original Japanese woodblock prints survive outside of museums and important private collections.
74 Products
Kunichika
Kabuki Actor Sawamura Tannosuke as the Beauty Ojitsu
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Modoribashi: Actor Ichikawa Sadanji as Watanabe no Tsuna and Onoe Kikugoro Disguised Demon
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Machiai ("Waiting room" or geisha restaurant), Kiraku at Nihonbashi, and Mitate Fabric Pattern
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Barber: Kabuki Actor Sawamura Tossho II as Misao, the Wife of Takechi Mitsuhide
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Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Sadanji I as Konoha no Minezo
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Kabuki Actors Nakamura Sensho as Sodehagi and Kawarasaki Sakimatsu as Her Daughter
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Geisha from the Hiramatsu Restaurant in Nihonbashi
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Kabuki Actor Ichimura Kakitsu IV in the Play Yagura Daiko Oto mo Yoshiwara
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Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjuro as Shibata Katsuie
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Kabuki Actor Ichimura Uzaemon XIII as Jiraiya
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Kabuki Actors Sawamura Tanosuke III and Sawamura Tossho II
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Kabuki Actor Nakamura Shikan IV as Shindo Kojiro
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Kabuki Actors Ichimura Kakitsu IV (R), Bando Hikosaburo V (C), and Kawarasaki Gonjuro I (L) in the Play Arishi Sugata Yume ni Mizuumi
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Kabuki Actors Ichimura Kakitsu IV as Kusunoki Koma-hime (R) and Bando Hikosaburo V as Korokumaru (L) in the Play Shobu-dachi Tsui no Kyokaku
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Kabuki Actors Kawarasaki Gonjuro I, Sawamura Tanosuke III, and Ichimura Uzaemon XIII
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