Chikanobu Toyohara, born Hashimoto Naoyoshi, was a prominent ukiyo-e artist of the Meiji period, best known for signing his works as "Yōshū Chikanobu." He began his artistic career in 1875 when he moved to Tokyo, working for the Kaishin Shimbun...
Chikayoshi, also known by his pen name Gokyoro, was a prominent woodblock print artist in the 19th century, working under the guidance of ukiyo-e master Toyohara Kunichika. Specialising in actor and beauty prints, Chikayoshi's artistic contributions are notable despite limited historical documentation....
Keisai Eisen emerged as a prominent figure in the ukiyo-e world, born in Edo into a family deeply rooted in the arts. Apprenticed at a young age to Kano-style painters, including the influential Kikugawa Eiji, Eisen initially showcased a strong influence from...
Eizan Kikugawa emerged from the shadow of the artist Utamaro, initially dismissed as a mere imitator but now revered as one of the great masters of beauty prints. Born into a family of artists, he developed his craft under the guidance...
Gihachiro Okuyama was a prolific Japanese commercial artist and woodblock printmaker, renowned for his contributions to both the shin-hanga and sōsaku-hanga movements. Born in Sagae, Yamagata, Okuyama initially pursued a career in commercial art, establishing his own advertising company in...
Goyō Hashiguchi was born Hashiguchi Kiyoshi in Kagoshima Prefecture and began his artistic journey under the influence of his father, Hashiguchi Kanemizu, a samurai and amateur painter. Initially adopting the name Goyō due to his admiration for the five-needle pine...
Haku Maki, originally Tadaaki Maejima, was a prominent abstract woodblock printmaker of the 20th century, from Asomachi in the Ibaraki Prefecture. Serving in World War II prior to transitioning to a career as a high school teacher in 1950, Maki's...
Hakuho Hirano was a nihonga and ukiyo-e style artist born in Kyoto in 1879. Beyond this very little information remains about his personal or professional life. Despite this obscurity, Hirano's artistic contributions are noteworthy, particularly in the realm of bijin-ga,...
Suzuki Harunobu was a pivotal figure in the development of Japanese woodblock printing, or ukiyo-e. Little is known about Harunobu's early life, including his birthplace and exact birthdate, but it is believed he grew up in Kyoto. Despite the lack of biographical details,...
Born in 1883, Hasui Kawase held aspirations for an art career from an early age, studying under the painter Aoyagi Bokusen and mastering brush painting techniques with Araki Kanyu. Eventually the bankruptcy of his family's business allowed him to freely pursue his artistis...
Hiroaki Takahashi, born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1871, initially known by his given name Katsutaro Takahashi, embarked on his artistic journey under the guidance of his uncle Matsumoto Fuko, who bestowed upon him the artistic name Shotei. His early career saw...
Oda Hironobu is one of the lesser-known shin-hanga artists, with little documented on his life. During the 1930s, Oda crafted a small yet remarkable collection of woodblock prints, primarily in collaboration with the publisher Maeba, though some sources attribute his prints to Nishinomiya...
Hiroshi Yoshida, born Hiroshi Ueda in 1876 in Kurume, Fukuoka, was a pivotal figure in the shin hanga movement, renowned for his exquisite landscape prints that combined traditional Japanese woodblock techniques with influences from Western art. Yoshida's early artistic training...
Hiroshige Utagawa, born Andō Tokutarō in 1797 Edo, is celebrated as one of the greatest Japanese printmaking artists of the nineteenth century, alongside Katsushika Hokusai. The son of Ando Genemon, a fire warden, Hiroshige was thrust into the family's estate and...
Ippitsusai Bunchō was an esteemed artist and printmaker from the samurai class who initially trained in the Kanō school, focusing on traditional subjects like birds, flowers, and Chinese sages. However, in the late 1760s, he transitioned to ukiyo-e and collaborated...
Joichi Hoshi was born in 1913 in Niigata, Japan. After teaching in Taiwan for over a decade, he returned to Japan in 1946 and studied oil painting at Musashino College of Fine Arts, graduating in 1956. Hoshi then taught himself...
Kaoru Kawano, born in 1916 in Hokkaido, Japan, was a prominent figure in the sosaku hanga movement during the Showa period. Educated at the Kawabata Art School starting in 1934, Kawano initially pursued oil painting but later shifted his focus...
Kobayashi Kiyochika, born in 1847, in Edo, was a pivotal figure in the transition of Japanese art during the Meiji period, documenting Japan's rapid modernisation and Westernisation through his woodblock prints. Kiyochika uniquely incorporated Western techniques of light and shadow,...
Kiyoshi Kobayakawa, born in 1899 in Hakata, Fukuoka, emerged as a significant figure in the shin hanga movement, known for his captivating portrayals of modern Japanese women. A contemporary of Hasui Kawase and Ito Shinsui, Kobayakawa trained under Kaburagi Kiyokata,...
Kiyoshi Saito, born in Aizubange, Fukushima, was a seminal figure in the sōsaku-hanga movement in twentieth-century Japan, renowned for his woodblock prints that blended traditional Japanese techniques with Western artistic influences. Beginning his career in painting, Saito transitioned to woodblock...
Terazaki Kōgyō, born Chutaro Terasaki in 1866 in Dewa Province, Akita, was a prominent Japanese painter known for his unique blend of traditional Japanese style and Western influences in his landscapes. He began his artistic training at 16 and further improved his...
Shoda Koho, a Japanese artist born in Kanda, Tokyo, and believed to have lived between 1871 and 1946, was a significant figure in the shin hanga ("New Prints") movement, which blended traditional Japanese techniques with European Impressionism. The movement often...
Tsuchiya Kōitsu, born in 1870, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan, was a distinguished artist within the shin hanga movement. At the age of 15, he moved to Tokyo and initially apprenticed under the woodblock carver Matsuzaki before becoming a student of the...
Isoda Koryūsai, born in 1735, transitioned from samurai to renowned ukiyo-e print designer after becoming a masterless rōnin. He moved to Edo, where he began his art career under the name Haruhiro, initially focusing on samurai themes before shifting to...
Ohara Koson was a distinguished Japanese painter and woodblock print designer, born in Kanazawa in 1877. He played a significant role in the shinsaku-hanga and shin-hanga art movements, specialising in kachō-e (bird-and-flower) prints. Over his prolific career, he produced approximately...
Kunichika Toyohara, originally named Yasohachi Arakawa, was born in 1835 and became a defining ukiyo-e artist of Japan's Meiji period. Renowned for his commitment to traditional printmaking techniques, Kunichika specialised in yakusha-e (actor prints) and shibai-e (theatre scene prints), capturing...
Kunisada II was born in 1823, originally taking the name "Kunimasa III." After studying under the renowned artist, Utagawa Kunisada I, he eventually married his daughter and took his master's name, inheriting the prestigious Kunisada house around 1850-1851. Under the...
Utagawa Kuniteru was a prominent ukiyo-e artist of the Utagawa school, born in Edo. While studying under Kunisada and Toyokuni I, Kuniteru mastered the art of ukiyo-e, creating prints that depicted a broad range of subjects, from traditional scenes to the...
Kunitoshi Utagawa was a notable Meiji-period artist who flourished in the latter half of the nineteenth century as a member of the prolific Utagawa school. Under the guidance of masters such as Kunisada, Kunitsugu, and Kunisada II, Kunitoshi honed his craft...
Utagawa Kuniyoshi, born Yoshisaburō on January 1, 1798, in Edo, was the son of a silk-dyer, Yanagiya Kichiyemon. From a young age, Kuniyoshi was fascinated by ukiyo-e warrior prints and the detailed illustrations in craftsmen manuals, which later influenced his...
Kyoshi Kawanabe, born in Koga as the son of a samurai, witnessed Japan's transformation from the Edo to the Meiji period. His artistic journey began under the guidance of ukiyo-e master Utagawa Kuniyoshi and later at the Kanō school, though...
Miezo Shimizu was a Japanese artist born in Yokkaichi, Mie prefecture, who specialised in sculpture after graduating from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Around 1930, Shimizu expanded his artistic repertoire by designing a series of beauty prints titled "Twelve...
Urushibara Mokuchu, born Yoshijirō Urushibara in Tokyo in 1888, was a masterful Japanese printmaker renowned for his evocative black-and-white prints, especially of horses. In 1908, he moved to London and showcased his woodblock printing skills at the Anglo-Japanese Exhibition of...
Narita Morikane was a Japanese artist known for his contributions to the field of woodblock printing, particularly noted for his work in the 1930s. He was a prominent contributor to the series 'Twenty-four Examples of Charming Figures,' which was published...
Ogata Gekkō, born Tai Masanosuke in Edo (Tokyo), emerged as a prominent ukiyo-e artist during the Meiji period and played a significant role in the Meiji Fine Art Society. Despite being orphaned, Gekkō potentially found himself under the influence of...
Paul Binnie, a Scottish artist born in Airthrey Castle on May 27, 1967, has established himself as a prominent figure in the realm of contemporary woodblock printmaking. After earning a Master's degree with honours in art history from the University...
Rakusan Tsuchiya, born Kouzou Tsuchiya in 1896 in Kyoto, was a distinguished Japanese artist renowned for his detailed nature studies. While studying under Seiho Takeuchi, a celebrated Kyoto artist, Hakusan developed his painting skills and adopted several artist names, including Rakuzan...
Sadahide Utagawa, originally Kenjiro Hashimoto, was a versatile and influential ukiyo-e printmaker from the nineteenth century, also known under the pseudonymns Gountei, Gyokuo, Gyokuran, Gyokuransai, and Gyokurantei. Born in 1807, Sadanobu was a distinguished pupil of Kunisada and operated primarily in Edo...
Sadanobu IV Hasegawa was a prominent Japanese woodblock print artist known for his contributions to modern interpretations of traditional ukiyo-e art. Born into the distinguished Hasegawa family, which had been involved in printmaking since the nineteenth century, Sadanobu IV continued the...
Seitei Watanabe, born under the name Yoshikawa Yoshimata, was a pivotal figure in the late nineteenth century Japanese art world. His artistic journey began at sixteen when he studied under Kikuchi Yōsai, followed briefly by his time spent with the artist Shibata...
Toshusai Sharaku, one of the three recognised masters of Japanese woodblock prints alongside Hokusai and Utamaro, remains an elusive figure in art history, with virtually no verifiable details known about his life, including his birth and death dates. Sharaku's career...
Shiro Kasamatsu was a notable Japanese woodblock print artist, born on January 11, 1898, in Tokyo, Japan. Trained in both shin hanga and sōsaku hanga styles, he initially apprenticed at the young age of 13 under Kaburagi Kiyokata, a master...
Shoichi Hasegawa, born in 1929 in Yaizu, Japan, is a renowned contemporary artist celebrated for his abstract paintings and woodblock prints. He studied at the Kokuga Institute in Kyoto before holding his first solo exhibition in his hometown in 1957....
Shuntei Miyagawa, born Watanabe Morikichi in Aichi prefecture, was a distinguished Meiji-period woodblock print artist renowned for his delicate genre scenes depicting women and children of the nouveau riche. He moved to Tokyo, where he spent most of his life,...
Tatsumi Shimura, born as Sentaro in 1907 in Takasaki-shi, Gunma prefecture, was a celebrated Japanese artist renowned for his bijin-ga prints—depictions of beautiful women. He embarked on his artistic education under the guidance of Yamakawa Saiho in 1921, a prominent...
Teruhide Kato, born in 1936, initially trained in oil painting at Kyoto City University of Arts. However, he pursued a career as a Kimono designer, becoming one of Japan's leading figures in the industry. Eventually, Kato transitioned to woodblock printing in...
Toko Shinoda, a distinguished Japanese artist born in 1930, is known for her unique combination of traditional calligraphy and modern abstract expressionism. Starting her artistic endeavours with traditional calligraphy, Shinoda ventured into abstract art in 1947, integrating the disciplined strokes...
Toshiaki Nakazawa was born in Fuse village in the Yamanashi Prefecture. He was a notable Japanese woodblock printer and painter, acclaimed for his bijin-ga (beauty prints), as well as his prints of historical and contemporary figures in dynamic scenes. As...
Kanaki Toshikage, likely originating from Osaka and bearing the family name Goto, was a distinguished pupil of the ukiyo-e master Yoshitoshi. Specialising in the depiction of the Meiji period's customs and manners, Toshikage's prints offer a vivid glimpse into the...
Toshikata Mizuno, originally Kumejiro, was born in Edo and showed a passion for art early on. At the young age of 13, he began his formal training under the ukiyo-e master Yoshitoshi, while also studying manga painting and later, ceramic painting,...
Kunisada, originally named Sumida Shogoro and later known as Toyokuni III, was born in 1784 in Edo. He quickly rose to prominence in the art world after studying under Toyokuni I, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e genre. By 1842, Kunisada had...
Born in 1886 in Tokyo, Tsuguharu Fujita emerged as a pivotal figure bridging Eastern and Western artistic traditions. His early life in Japan laid the foundation for a lifelong journey in art, marked by a distinct blend of Japanese and...
Utamaro Kitagawa stands among the most revered designers of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings. His fame primarily rests on his bijin ōkubi-e, or "large-headed pictures of beautiful women," produced during the 1790s. Additionally, Utamaro demonstrated his versatility by creating nature...
Watanabe Nobukazu was a significant figure in the world of woodblock print art, active in the late nineteenth century during a time of rapid transformation in Japan. Trained by Chikanobu Toyohara (1838-1912), Nobukazu mastered a variety of subjects, ranging from intense...
Utagawa Yoshifuji, who was a student of Kuniyoshi, was an active printmaking in the nineteenth century. Renowned for his omocha-e (toy prints), Yoshifuji's work offered a playful and intricate look at traditional Japanese toys and games, blending cultural nostalgia with...
Yoshikazu Utagawa, a pupil of the renowned master Kuniyoshi. He lived between 1850 and 1870 during a brief yet significant era that witnessed Japan's gradual opening to the West. Despite his relatively short life, Yoshikazu's work is distinguished by its...
Yoshimori I, born in 1830 under the name Sakuzo, was a pivotal figure in the Utagawa school of Japanese woodblock printing, having studied under the esteemed master Kuniyoshi. Initially known by the artist names Mitsuki and Taguchi, he adopted several...
Yoshimori II, born in 1854 as Masaki Fukumatsu, began his career as an artist by joining the school of Yoshimori I in 1866. He adopted the artist name Morimasa, while also working under the name Yoshimorisai Kuniharu. Upon his master's...
Born in 1830, Yoshimori Taguchi was an influential figure in the realm of Japanese woodblock printing, having studied under the guidance of the celebrated printmaker Kuniyoshi Utagawa. Also going by the name Utagawa Kuniharu, he distinguished himself with a versatile portfolio...
