Circa 1860 Woodblock Print by Toyohara Kunichika

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Lovely woodblock print by Toyohara. Kunichika (1835-1900). Print size is 14.25 x 9.5 matted in a 24 x18 board. Born … Read more Lovely woodblock print by Toyohara. Kunichika (1835-1900). Print size is 14.25 x 9.5 matted in a 24 x18 board. Born in 1835 Kunichika grew up in the Kyobashi district of Edo (Tokyo) in the midst of merchants and artisants. In 1848, at age 13, he was accepted as an apprentice into the studio of Utagawa Kunisadq I (Toyokuni III 1786-1865).
Kunichika's work stands in contrast to that of many of his contemporaries as he persistently held onto the traditional style and subject matter of the classic Japanese woodcut, unaffected by new Western forms of art. His love of Kabuki inspired him to depict actors in various roles and varying facial expressions. His skillful use of color and ability to translate the actor's depth of emotion onto the page makes his work some of the most dramatic ever produced. Later on in his career, Kunichika turned primarily to the triptych format as the increased size gave him space to fully portrait the drama and action of the character represented. See less