Kuniteru (1808-1876)

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 increasing Western influence on Japan. His main artistic contributions were in the form of book illustrations and single-sheet ukiyo-e prints. Throughout his career, Kuniteru was known by several names; he was called Kunitsuna II or Ichiransai during the Ganji era (1864/1865) and was known as Sadashige before 1844, often signing his works as Ichiyusai. As Kunitsuna II, he initially focused on caricatures and travel scenes but later, after adopting his master's name, he expanded his repertoire to include sumo wrestling and scenes depicting the modernisation and Westernisation of Japan, capturing the transformative spirit of the times.