Watanabe Nobukazu (1872-1944)

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 senso-e, war prints that depicted battle scenes, to dynamic scenes illustrating the Meiji-period's modernisation efforts.

Born Shimada Jiro, Nobukazu later adopted the artist name Yōsai Nobukazu, under which he produced his acclaimed works. While the majority of his prints were triptychs of battles both on land and on sea of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), he also produced prints portraying mythological subjects, sumo and other sports, and bijin-ga (women of beauty). Through his diverse range of subjects, Nobukazu's work offers valuable insights into the cultural and social dynamics of late nineteenth-century Japan, embodying the period's contrasts and continuities.