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KUNITOSHI
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| Signature of Kunitoshi with circular red toshidama ring |
Artist – Utagawa
KUNITOSHI (歌川 国利), was born in 1847 as YAMAMURA Seisuke (山村
清助). He was a Japanese designer
of ukiyo-e woodblock prints. His active years span from 1865
(Keio) to 1896 (Meiji 29). He was initially
apprenticed at Kunisada's (Toyokuni-III) workshop.Thus
following tradition, he was named Kuni-Toshi. When his first
master Kunisada died, he became a disciple of Kunisada's
heir, Kunisada Utagawa-II (二代 歌川 国貞). His oevre contains sceneries
of Ginza, horse-drawn carriages, pictures of famous places
such as the Mitsui Bank, enlightenment paintings, cut-out
paintings (omocha-e),
genre paintings, and even copperplate maps. From his prints we may calculate an
active time from about 1854 to 1868.
Personal life - There is only sparse information about
his personal life. For a long time he had been living at 35
Kanda Ogawamachi (神田小川町35) in the Chyoda ward (千代田区)
of Edo, where the Imperial palace is located.
Utagawa KUNITOSHI died at the age of 53. His grave is in the Kanzo-in Temple (観蔵院) in Eiju-cho, Motoasakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, and his posthumous Buddhist name is Kunitoshi Akikaze (秋風国利).
Utagawa KUNITOSHI died at the age of 53. His grave is in the Kanzo-in Temple (観蔵院) in Eiju-cho, Motoasakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, and his posthumous Buddhist name is Kunitoshi Akikaze (秋風国利).
Aliases - YAMAMURA Seisuke (山村 清助) as his childhood name, KUNITOSHI (国利 or 国登志 ), as his most often used ga, and in combination with several epithets, most often ofcourse Utagawa (歌川), or/and Baiju (梅寿), Umeo (梅翁), and Umeo Michihito (梅翁道人). From the 17th year of Meiji (1884), he also used Umeki Kunitoshi (楳樹邦年). As his business name (yago, 屋号) he sometimes used Mikawaya (三河屋).
Disciples - no known disciples
Copyright 2008 ff: Hans P. Boehme