Kiyonaga (1752 - 1815 )
The son of a bookseller and publisher in Uraga, Kiyonaga was born Shinsuke Sekiguchi in 1752. He moved to Edo in 1765 and began his art education in both printmaking and painting under the direction of Kiyomasu. Following the death of his master, Kiyonaga was adopted as the heir to the Torii family. He was a major printmaker in late 18th century Edo, influenced by the works of Koryusai, Shigenaga and Harunobu. From 1781 to 1788, Kiyonaga's woodblock prints dominated ukiyo-e with their depictions of bijin (beautiful women) and stylish scenes of Edo life. His work greatly influenced other ukiyo-e artists and he is recognized for his use of color and the maturity of his nishiki-e (brocade prints) and bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women). In 1787, Kiyonaga arranged for the Torii school to design kabuki signboards. This arrangement would eventually lead to the school’s virtual monopoly over the industry. Despite his immense popularity, Kiyonaga turned away from woodblock printing in 1790 to focus on painting.
Japanese Woodblock Prints (1600 - 1800)
Early ukiyo-e, or pictures (e) of the floating world (ukiyo), emerged around 1660 with monochrome prints. The masters of this “primitive” period, such as Moronobu and Masanobu, are known for their elegant and vital lines. By 1700, the first early color prints emerged. Hand-colored with vegetable-based pigments, this process proved costly and was replaced by full-color printing in 1765. Known as the father of color printing, Harunobu ushered in the era of nishiki-e, or brocade pictures, with sensitivity and subtlety. The late 18th century welcomed a “golden age” of ukiyo-e, during which time artists developed the use of color and diversified their approach to subject matter. Sharaku imbued his actor portraits with a greater sense of individualism, while Utamaro delved deeper into the “greenhouses” of the Yoshiwara, considering the private lives of courtesans. Browse our collection of early ukiyo-e below.
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Kiyonaga
The Sixth Month: Fashionable Scenes from the Twelve Months
JPR-209521
