Moronobu (1618 - 1694 )
Moronobu is considered the father of ukiyo-e. While some may credit him as the founder, this is not entirely accurate. Instead, his dramatic and innovative style represents the first mature form of ukiyo-e, consolidating earlier styles and setting the standard for artists to come. Hishikawa Moronobu’s artwork prints play with parody and literary themes, taking established tales and framing them in the world of Edo. These works formed the basic styles and popular genres of ukiyo-e.
The son of a respected artisan in Awa province, Moronobu Hishikawa was born Moronobu Furuyama. He began his artistic career drawing embroidery patterns with his father, a textile dyer and embroiderer. In 1658, Moronobu moved to Edo to apprentice in painting, where he studied Kano, Tosa, Hasegawa and genre painting, largely depicting bijin (beautiful women) in profile. He soon shifted his medium and became a prolific illustrator. His first known book is signed and dated to 1672. Though Moronobu produced around 60 ehon (illustrated books), many albums of shunga (erotic prints), and single-sheet prints depicting the pleasure-filled world of Edo, the majority of these woodblock prints are unsigned and very few of the single prints survive today. He passed away in 1694.
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.
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