Utagawa Kuniyoshi (ca. 1797 – 1861)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) was a very prolific Japanese print artist from the Edo era. The Asholean museum in Oxford (England) has on show a few of his prints from a series titled Heroes of the Great Peace (太平記英勇傳- Taiheiki eiyuden), published by Yamamotoya Heikichi (山本屋平吉).

Utagawa Kuniyoshi  studied with Utagawa Toyokuni. He was one of the three principal 'Ukiyo-e' artists of the late Edo period, together with Hiroshige and Kunisada (Toyokuni III).

Although better known as Utagawa Kuniyoshi,the artist used a number of aliases. He is also known as: Ichiyusai (一勇彩); Saihosha (採芳舎); Chooro (朝櫻楼); Sekkoku (雪谷); Senshin (仙真); Ryuen (柳燕); Ichimyokai Hodoyoshi (一妙開程芳); Ikusa (井草); Magosaburo (孫三郎); Yoshisaburo (芳三郎).

These prints are woodblock prints on paper. For Japanese prints, the term 'woodblock' is used instead of 'woodcut'. In Japan cherry wood is used for woodblock printing, where as in the West pear or lime wood are usual woods for woodcut printing.

Orio Mosuke Yasaharu (the historical Horio Yoshiharu) wrestling a boar. (35.7 cm x 25.4 cm)- Date: 1848-1850.

For a large image, see the British Museum database. 

The warrior Inaue Daikurō discharging a cannon (36.2 x 25 cm). Date: 1847 - 1850

Larger image (from the British Museum online database).

Read the story of Inaue Daikurō, the warrior on this print, at the site of the Jameel Centre.

The warrior-monk Negoro no Komizucha defending himself with a pole (36.2 x 25 cm). Date: 1847 - 1850

Larger image (from the British Museum online database).

Read the story of ‘Negoro no Komizucha’, the brave warrior-monk of Negoro-ji on this print, at the site of the Jameel Centre.

Related articles and resources

• “Hokusai & Hiroshige - On a Journey to Edo” Exhibition 
• Article about Utagawa Kuniyoshi in Wikipedia 
• Utagawa’s work in the online database of the British Museum (more than 2,000 prints!)

Book on Japanese print from the Edo period

• If you are in the US (Affiliate link): Japanese Prints: Ukiyo-e in Edo, 1700-1900
• If you are in the UK (Affiliate link): Japanese Prints: Ukiyo-e in Edo, 1700-1900