Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

Japanese, 1786 – 1865

Utagawa Kunisada, also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III (三代歌川豊国 Sandai Utagawa Toyokuni), was the most popular, prolific and commercially successful designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan. In his own time, his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporaries, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.

At the end of the Edo period (1603–1867), Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi and Kunisada were the three best representatives of the Japanese color woodcut in Edo (capital city of Japan, now Tokyo). However, among European and American collectors of Japanese prints, beginning in the late 19th and early 20th century, all three of these artists were actually regarded as rather inferior to the greats of classical ukiyo-e, and therefore as having contributed considerably to the downfall of their art. For this reason, some referred to their works as "decadent".

Beginning in the 1930s and 1970s, respectively, the works of Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi were submitted to a re-evaluation, and these two are now counted among the masters of their art. Thus, from Kunisada alone was withheld, for a long time, the acknowledgment which is due to him. With a few exceptions, such as actor portraits (yakusha-e) and portraits of beautiful women (bijin-ga), at the beginning of his career, and some series of large-size actor head-portraits near the end, it was thought that he had produced only inferior works. It was not until the early 1990s, with the appearance of Jan van Doesburg's overview of the artistic development of Kunisada, and Sebastian Izzard's extensive study of his work, that this picture began to change, with Kunisada more clearly revealed as one of the "giants" of the Japanese print that he was.

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Actors in the Roles of Ohatsu and Iwafuji

Actors in the Roles of Ohatsu and Iwafuji (ca. 1840)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

An Actor with an Elaborate Robe

An Actor with an Elaborate Robe (ca. 1845)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Bandô Mitsugorô in the Role of Sweets Vendor Deity

Bandô Mitsugorô in the Role of Sweets Vendor Deity (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Bull and Rider

Bull and Rider (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Four Courtesans Elaborately Garbed

Four Courtesans Elaborately Garbed (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

High-ranking Monk, Yasuhide Playing the Role of Nakamura Utaemon

High-ranking Monk, Yasuhide Playing the Role of Nakamura Utaemon (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Ichikawa Kyuzo Playing the Role of Shodayu

Ichikawa Kyuzo Playing the Role of Shodayu (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Lovers

Lovers (ca. 1861)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Monk, One of the Six Great Poets, Kisen Playing the Role of Nakamura Utaemon

Monk, One of the Six Great Poets, Kisen Playing the Role of Nakamura Utaemon (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Nakamura Shikan in the role of Huwa Hanzaemon

Nakamura Shikan in the role of Huwa Hanzaemon (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Night Scene in the Green House or Yoshiwara

Night Scene in the Green House or Yoshiwara (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Portrait of Minister of the Right, Michizane (Udaijin Michizane Kô)

Portrait of Minister of the Right, Michizane (Udaijin Michizane Kô) (ca. 1807–1810)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Rainy Scene on a Bridge (Ame no To no Sue)

Rainy Scene on a Bridge (Ame no To no Sue) (ca. 1849–1853)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Rainy Scene on a Bridge (Ame no To no Sue)

Rainy Scene on a Bridge (Ame no To no Sue) (ca. 1849–1853)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Rainy Scene on a Bridge (Ame no To no Sue)

Rainy Scene on a Bridge (Ame no To no Sue) (ca. 1849–1853)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Samurai Warrior with Attendant

Samurai Warrior with Attendant (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Snow Scene; Woman Bending to Adjust Shoe

Snow Scene; Woman Bending to Adjust Shoe (ca. 1830–1843)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Snow Scene; Woman in Blue, Man in Red and Blue, Under Black and White Umbrella

Snow Scene; Woman in Blue, Man in Red and Blue, Under Black and White Umbrella (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Sutokuin

Sutokuin (ca. 1845–1848)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Taira no Tomomori and the Anchor

Taira no Tomomori and the Anchor (ca. 1828)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Actor Ichikawa Danjuro in a Plaid Costume

The Actor Ichikawa Danjuro in a Plaid Costume (ca. 1850)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Actor Ichikawa Danjûrô in the Role of Matsuômaru

The Actor Ichikawa Danjûrô in the Role of Matsuômaru (ca. 1830)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Actor Ichikawa Ichizo in the Role of Masakiyo

The Actor Ichikawa Ichizo in the Role of Masakiyo (ca. 1813–1833)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Actor Iwai Hanshiro in the Role of Oito

The Actor Iwai Hanshiro in the Role of Oito (ca. 1830)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Actor Onôe Kikugorô in the Role of Sakuramaru

The Actor Onôe Kikugorô in the Role of Sakuramaru (ca. 1830)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Actor Onoe Tamizo in the Role of Tenjuku Tokubei

The Actor Onoe Tamizo in the Role of Tenjuku Tokubei (ca. 1813–1823)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Artist

The Artist (ca. 1834)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

The Salt Women

The Salt Women (19th century)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Two Men, One with Black Horse Banner

Two Men, One with Black Horse Banner (ca. 1813–1833)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

Two Women; Youth and Age

Two Women; Youth and Age (ca. 1857)

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japanese, 1786 – 1865)

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