Torii Kiyonaga

Torii Kiyonaga (Japanese鸟 居 清 长; * 1752 in Edo (now Tokyo), † June 28, 1815 ibid ) is now considered one of the most important Japanese woodblock print artists of the 18th century.

Introduction

His original name was Sekiguchi Shinsuke (关口 新 助). He was born in 1752 in Edo, and died there on 28 June 1815. Considered one of Japan's most important artists of the so-called Ukiyo -e- motion, ie as a painter of paintings and woodcuts with the presentation of the "Floating, floating world ". He was a student of Torii Kiyomitsu and led for a time the famous Torii school.

Career advancement

The famous painter was influenced by Kiyonaga the woodcut artists Suzuki Harunobu Isoda Koryūsai and Kitao Shigemasa. He was the son of a bookseller and learned the woodcut painting trade at Torii Kiyomitsu. Although he strictly worked in the tradition of the Torii school and its responsibility was fully aware as a teacher, he not only created woodcuts in the taught by his school Kabuki theater topics, but created just with the detachment of this traditional painting tradition his greatest works. Just the image of the theater and its protagonist was penetrated under his aegis of new ideas and led to masterful highlights.

Highlights of his creativity

Absolutely masterly and world famous in the history of art are his woodcuts of elegant, young, graceful girls and courtesans who appear before color distinct contrasting backgrounds, which usually depict his beloved home town of Edo. Its solid, craft training allowed him to create a new style, the absolutely determinative seemed long for some twenty years on other artists. He leaned significantly to the start time of the Ukiyo -e and led with its realistic design and beguiling poetic force acting from images.

Later years

His images appeared on Utamaro exemplary and influential. However, as of something more pleasing own style of Utamaro developed, this was an example for the younger woodcut artist. Kiyonaga was limited from now on again on theater and actor representations. For the last twenty years of his life only a few woodcuts have survived.