Kuniyoshi Utagawa

Kansei 9th (1798) Born – Bunkyu 1st (1861) Died
Artist names are Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi and so on. Along with Hiroshige the 1st and Kunisada the 1st of the same period, Kuniyoshi was representing Ukiyoe artist at the end of Edo period.

Disciple of Toyokuni Utagawa. Kuniyoshi’s disciples are two-topping Yoshitoshi Tsukioka and Yoshiiku Ochiai, and a lot of talents, Yoshitora Utagawa, Yoshikazu Utagawa and Chikanobu Yoshu. Kyosai Kawabe was also a temporary disciple.
His products style are amazing, fantastical outside and obliquely above imagination. Nowadays, he is one of the most popular Ukiyoe artist during the entire period.

Ukiyoe, although it was customary to make a picture that can be independent one by one, even consisted of three pieces, Kuniyoshi drawn a bold composition that ignored this rule.

He was also called, "Kuniyoshi as Samurai artist", and at the time, his history painting also gained popularity.
He was overflowing with the rebellious spirit, often drawing Ukiyoe satirizing the shogunate and it’s world, he was called out to the shogunate and questioned, but he seemed to say nicely.
"Soma no Furu-dairi" and "Minsmotono Yorimitsu kou Yakata Tsuchigumo Youkai nasu Zu" are famous.