Japanese Art and Kunisada (1786–1865)
Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The woodblock visions of Hokusai, Hiroshige, Utamaro, and other masters stand at the summit of ukiyo-e, celebrated across the world for their enduring beauty. Yet in the Japan of his own age, Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865) shone no less brightly. His artistry—dynamic, bold, and richly attuned to the cultural rhythms of Edo—made him one of the most distinguished and sought-after printmakers of his time.
Accordingly, Kunisada eclipsed his contemporaries in nineteenth-century print sales, a testament not only to his prodigious output but also to the magnetic pull of kabuki culture in Edo Japan. His art thrived at the crossroads of popular theatre and visual imagination, revealing a workaholic genius who understood—instinctively and profoundly—the pulse of the market and the passions of his audience.
The British Museum says, “The leading ‘Ukiyoe’ artist of the late Edo period, Kunisada was active for a long time as the central figure in the Utagawa School. He is said to have produced the largest number of works of any ‘Ukiyoe’ artist. Particularly notable are his stylish, oddly bewitching prints of women of the 1820s and 30s and the fresh, new style of his actor prints.”
Ironically, Kunisada’s keen eye for the commercial heartbeat of ukiyo-e narrowed the vistas he chose to explore. Unlike Hokusai and Hiroshige—who opened sweeping windows onto Fuji and the natural world—Kunisada devoted himself largely to the glittering realm of kabuki and its celebrated actors. This focus made him a sensation in Edo, yet it also tethered his legacy to the theatre stage, limiting the broader international allure gained by those who captured Japan’s majestic landscapes.
Overall, Kunisada’s influence in the nineteenth century radiated chiefly from the world of kabuki—the flicker of stage lights, the magnetism of star actors, and the dramatic pulse of Edo’s theatres. Alongside this, his bijin-ga revealed elegant worlds of fashion and femininity, capturing the refined poise of beautiful women – and he roamed through Japanese folklore and other themes.
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