Toyokuni I (1769 - 1825 )

The son of a puppet sculptor, Toyokuni was born and worked in Edo. Entering the studio of Toyoharu at the age of 14, Toyokuni drew inspiration from the famous contemporary artists around him, particularly from the great Utamaro. Toyokuni produced elegant courtesans, fine actor prints, book illustrations, and paintings. He had a strong reputation during his lifetime and taught a host of talented students, including Kunisada and Kuniyoshi.

 

Considered one of the most influential ukiyo-e print artists, Toyokuni catapulted the Utagawa school to fame and completed remarkable work depicting beautiful women and kabuki actors. During the early 1790s, his works focused on courtesans. His beauties bear an elegance and idealism indicative of the period. These works set a standard for bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) to come. Through the 1790s and 1800s, Toyokuni not only captured actors’ stage roles, but also their private lives and individual personalities in his yakusha-e (actor prints).

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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Availability

  • Available
  • Archive

Price

12000980

Artist

  • Buncho
  • Eiri
  • Eishi
  • Eisho
  • Harunobu
  • Hokusai
  • Kiyomitsu
  • Kiyonaga
  • Kiyotsune
  • Koryusai
  • Masanobu
  • Masayoshi
  • Morikuni
  • Moronobu
  • Sharaku
  • Shigemasa
  • Shuncho
  • Shundo
  • Shunei
  • Shunjo
  • Shunko
  • Shunman
  • Shunsho
  • Sukenobu
  • Toyokuni I
  • Utamaro
  • Unsigned / Unknown Artist

Subject

  • Actors & Theater
  • Beauties (bijin-ga)
  • Children
  • Portraits

Period

  • 1600 - 1800 (Early Edo)
  • 1800 - 1868 (Edo)

Medium

  • Woodblock Print

Size

  • Medium (ie. Oban)
  • Large (ie. Triptych)

5 Products

Filtered By: Toyokuni I
Interior of a Kabuki Theater

Toyokuni I

Interior of a Kabuki Theater

JPR-210801

$12,000.00
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Wisdom (Chi)

Toyokuni I

Wisdom (Chi)

JPR-209379

$4,800.00
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Kabuki Actor Onoe Matsusuke as Iwafuji

Toyokuni I

Kabuki Actor Onoe Matsusuke as Iwafuji

JPR1-57645

SOLD

Kabuki Actors Ichikawa Omezo and Iwai Kumesaburo

Toyokuni I

Kabuki Actors Ichikawa Omezo and Iwai Kumesaburo

JP1-46251

$5,800.00
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New Year

Toyokuni I

New Year

JP5395

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