Kuniyoshi - Woodblock print master

[spindrift]

I recently visited the Royal Academy, Piccadilly to view a large collection of woodblock prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861).

www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/kuniyoshi/

Kuniyoshi specialized in imaginative depictions of samuri warriors, images of beautiful women, landscapes, pictures of the 'floating world' and Kabuki actors. This prolific artist may have produced as many as ten thousand sheet prints. The wood used for his woodblock printing was cut vertically from mountain cherry blossom trees.

I spent several wonderful hours looking at the prints, the colours of which seemed fresh as if recently created. The landscapes around Edo (as Tokyo was then known) of 200 years ago, show town and seaside scenes that bear no resemblence to today's gigantic city.

Apart from admiring depictions of snow, boating, fishing, temple and various scenes too many to mention here, I was riveted by the costumes of the ladies, courtesans and fishing folk.

I urge you to view this collection if you have the chance to do so.

[bixaorellana]

Oh ~~ wonderful stuff, Spindrift!

There is quite a nice gallery of his stuff in the wikipedia entry.

You might also enjoying viewing this gallery of Hiroshige's work. He was the same age as Kuniyoshi and working at the same time.

    Kuniyoshi                            Hiroshige
               

[spindrift]

Bixa - you are so encouraging!

There was a third woodblock print genius, also at the same time, called Kunisada

[bixaorellana]

Of them all, I think Kunisada is my absolute favorite. I have pored over every print of his work I've ever seen, and could look at them endlessly.

For sheer composition, movement and dramatic tension, he simply can't be beat. I also feel that you can see in his work most clearly the angles, use of shapes, and "Japanese" perspective that so captured European painters later.