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Japan: 'Shelter from the Rain, Encounters on the Road at New Year, No. 6: Actors Ichikawa Kodanji IV, Iwai Kumesaburo III, Bando Hikosaburo IV'. Part of triptych print by Utagawa Kunisada I (1786-1865), 1855. Utagawa Kunisada, also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III, was the most popular, prolific and financially successful designer of <i>ukiyo-e</i> woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan. In his own time, his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporaries, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi. His favourite subjects were pleasure-houses and tea ceremonies.
Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865), also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III, was the most popular and prolific designer of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan. His reputation and financial success far exceeded those of his contemporaries.<br/><br/> Surprisingly, not many details of Kunisada's life are recorded, aside from a few well-established events. He was born in 1786 in Honjo, a district of Edo (now Tokyo), with the given name Sumida Shogoro IX. His family owned a fairly successful ferry-boat service, and he soon developed an artistic talent as he grew up. So impressive were his early sketches that he caught the eye of Toyokuni, great master of the Utagawa school, who soon took him as an apprentice.<br/><br/> His skills and renown quickly grew, and he became head of the Utagawa school in 1825, where he would teach and design woodblock prints until his death in 1865, having produced the largest collection of woodblock prints of any designer in 19th-century Japan.
Utagawa Kunisada (also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III) was the most popular, prolific and financially successful designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan.<br/><br/> In his own time, his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporaries, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (January 1, 1798 - April 14, 1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. He is associated with the Utagawa school.<br/><br/> The range of Kuniyoshi's preferred subjects included many genres: landscapes, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, cats, and mythical animals. He is known for depictions of the battles of samurai and legendary heroes. His artwork was affected by Western influences in landscape painting and caricature.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (January 1, 1798 - April 14, 1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. He is associated with the Utagawa school.<br/><br/> The range of Kuniyoshi's preferred subjects included many genres: landscapes, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, cats, and mythical animals. He is known for depictions of the battles of samurai and legendary heroes. His artwork was affected by Western influences in landscape painting and caricature.
Utagawa Kunisada (also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III) was the most popular, prolific and financially successful designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan.<br/><br/> In his own time, his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporaries, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.
Irezumi (入れ墨, 入墨, 紋身, 刺花, 剳青, 黥 or 刺青) is a Japanese word that refers to the insertion of ink under the skin to leave a permanent, usually decorative mark; a form of tattooing.<br/><br/> The word can be written in several ways, each with slightly different connotations. The most common way of writing irezumi is with the Chinese characters 入れ墨 or 入墨, literally meaning to 'insert ink'. The characters 紋身 (also pronounced bunshin) suggest 'decorating the body'. 剳青 is more esoteric, being written with the characters for 'stay' or 'remain' and 'blue' or 'green', and probably refers to the appearance of the main shading ink under the skin. 黥 (meaning 'tattooing') is rarely used, and the characters 刺青 combine the meanings 'pierce', 'stab', or 'prick', and 'blue' or 'green', referring to the traditional Japanese method of tattooing by hand.