Saru Gallery
       Japanese Prints & Japanese Paintings

Biography Kunichika, Toyohara (1835 - 1900)

The majority of Kunichika's work is rather uninspired. He was part of the Tokyo woodblock print industry, and furthermore he had a serious drinking problem. Still, his best work is very good indeed, and it is a matter of conjecture what would have happened if he had been able to fulfil his artistic potential. One of Utagawa Kunsada's best pupils, he mainly designed actor prints, but also quite a number of bijin prints. Especially his triptychs which feature one actor in a dramatic pose spread out over three sheets belong to his best work.

1

2

3

4