Yamanaka, Kodo (1869 - 1945 )
Born in Tokyo in 1869 as Noburo Sato, Kodo Yamanaka worked as a popular artist of kuchi-e, frontispiece images for books and literary magazines. Today, scholars look to his book Usage of Illustration to learn about his medium and his peers. Kodo received a diverse education, studying Yoshitoshi Naohiko Kumagi, Hakudo Ishihara, Kogan Arihara, and Tekeuchi Keishu. In 1896, Kodo joined the newspaper Yomiuri Shinbum as and illustrator. Under the guidance of his teacher Keishu, he began to produce kuchi-e for the publisher Hakubunkan around 1900. Additionally, he completed Notebook of Mountains and Water (1901), a book of woodblock prints, as well as four prints for the literary magazine Bungei Kurabu. In 1901, he was a founding member of the artist association Ugokai, along with Kiyokata, Eiho, and other kuchi-e artists.
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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