Yoshimori I (1830-1885)

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 others throughout his career, including Ikkosai, Kosai, and Sakurabo. 

Specialising in woodblock prints, Yoshimori I's early career was marked by the publication of books featuring his illustrations in 1850 and 1851, as well as captivating images of the Negishi district in Yokohama. He is particularly renowned for his Yokohama-e prints, a subgenre of ukiyo-e prints that emerged with the opening of the Japanese ports to foreign trade in the late 1850s. These prints depict the life and activities around the Yokohama port, offering a unique perspective on the cultural and social integration between Japan and the West during this period. 

In addition to this, Yoshimori I made significant contributions through two large series around the Tokaido, the coastal road connecting Edo to Kyoto. These series include The Scenic Places on the Tokaido (1863) and Calligraphy and Pictures along the Fifty-three Stations (1872), and showcase his ability to narrate the Edo period's cultural and societal nuances through art. 

Signature: Ikkōsai Yoshimori sha