Artist – Utagawa YOSHITORA (歌川 芳虎) was known to be active from 1836 until 1882. He entered Kuniyoshi's studio in the mid 1830ies

YOSHITORA was a prolific printmaker and illustrator whose work covered a broad range of subjects including warrior and war prints (musha-e and senso-e), “large-head” (okubi-e) actor portraits, prints of beautiful women (bijinga), prints of Japan’s modernization (kaika-e), humorous prints (giga) and, most famously, Yokohama-e, prints depicting Westerners and their technological advances, of which he designed over 150.

His earliest known work, illustrations in the book Story of Karasu Kanzaemon’s Loyalty (Karasu Kanzaemon chugi den), dates from 1836 and his first print series dates to the early 1840ies. Throughout his career YOSHITORA collaborated with other artists on various prints and print series, such as his work with Utagawa Yoshiiku (1833-1904) and Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831-1889) on Famous Views of Modern Tokyo (Tokyo kaika meisho no uchi), 1873 and Utagawa Kunisada I's (1786–1865) so-called “Kinshodo Edition of Large-Head Actor Portraits” (Kinshodo-ban yakusha okubi-e).

YOSHITORA entered Kuniyoshis's studio at an unknown date. He was considered one of Kuniyoshi’s best pupils and was ranked as high as second best in the "ranking list of nishiki-e artists" in 1868, after Utagawa Sadahide (1807-1873).5  After his brush with the law (see below) it is reported that he was “expelled from Kuniyoshi’s studio.”

As of Kuiyoshi’s pupils, 'YOSHITORA was, perhaps one of the best, his colours being as a rule less offensive than is generally the case with prints of this date.' During the Meiji era (starting 1867) Yoshitora worked as a newspaper journalist and in the early 1880ies most of his work was as a book illustrator.  One of the few students he had, Yoshi (aka Horiyoshi), became a tattoo artist.

Various restrictions on print content and publishing were put in place by the bakufu (Shogunate authority) during the 1840s and 1843, Eisen, Hiroshige, Utagawa Kunisada, Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), Utagawa Sadahide (1807-73) and Utagawa YOSHITORA (act. 1830s-1880s) gave a joint written undertaking to the bakufu not to produce any unacceptable prints, which is some indication of the oppressive atmosphere of the times.”  Despite the above assurances, YOSHITORA ran afoul of the authorities in 1849 for  satirizing shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616; r. 1603-05) in his print "Funny Warriors-Our Ruler’s New Year’s Rice Cakes" ("Doke musha: miyo no wakamochi") and was sentenced to 50 days in handcuffs.


Personal life -  Little is known of YOSHITORA’s life, other than he was born, worked, and died in Edo. He changed addresses frequently in the late 1870s. After having worked as a newspaper journalist during Meiji era, he started illustrating books during the early 1880ies. He fell out of sight after 1882.


Aliases - YOSHITORA as born as Nagashima Tatsugorō (永島 辰五郎, also 辰之助 oder 辰三郎). His ga-names were  Ichimōsai 一猛斎, Kinchōrō 錦朝楼, and Mōsai 孟斎 (after 1874).


Disciples - Known disciples were Toratane (虎種) and Torashige (虎重), both known to be active as woodblock artists at the beginning of the Meiji era. His student Yoshie, also known as Horiyoshi worked as an tattooist.