Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900) was a superstar of the late Ukiyo-e tradition, which descended from the Utagawa school founded by Utagawa Toyoharu. Despite being a major figure who embodied the golden age of this art form, he has been largely forgotten in contemporary times.
Kunichika’s active period as an artist began during the Meiji era. However, the motifs he depicted consistently expressed a “Meiji-ized Edo that had already been lost.”
This was a time when photography (bromide portraits) and oil painting were rapidly gaining popularity, and artists began adapting to the changing times. Ukiyo-e painters transitioned into new domains such as Kaika-e (depictions of the rapidly Westernizing urban landscapes, Western-style clothing, expositions, steamships, balloons, and railroads), war illustrations, and newspaper images. However, Kunichika did not explore these fields. The phrase “artists tossed about by the times” is often used to describe the struggles of Ukiyo-e painters in this era, but Kunichika’s work and attitude convey no such impression.
Kunichika transformed the traditional expectations of Ukiyo-e, which valued “skilled portrayals of distinctive features,” into a more stylized, exaggerated form of character depiction that resonates with today’s manga and anime.
Kunichika’s works are characterized by their jewel-like delicacy and vivid colors, achieved through sophisticated printing and carving techniques. These features reveal the use of the finest natural and imported materials and the exceptional craftsmen provided by his publishers. Kunichika’s art not only popularized actors and theatrical performances but also turned his prints into merchandise, driving a cycle of commercial success. He was an “innovative” art director, occupying the highest echelon of the art market at the time.
Kunichika can be considered the originator of today’s character culture. By conceptually reinterpreting the “good old days” as something cutting-edge, he transformed Ukiyo-e into pop art. In this sense, he was a pioneer who prefigured the best aspects of modern art practices.
However, as Western art historical values were abruptly introduced into Japan, the focus shifted to how Ukiyo-e influenced the Impressionists. Kunichika’s works, far removed from this narrative, were excluded from artistic and critical recognition. Consequently, despite his prominence and innovative contributions, Kunichika has become a largely forgotten figure today. (It is also intriguing that, despite being directly connected to the Utagawa lineage, he steadfastly refused to adopt their name.)
This very obscurity makes Kunichika a perfect subject for reintroduction in the context of contemporary art spaces.
(Note: [The Compilation of Western Art History] In 1901, the “Draft History of Japanese Imperial Art” became Japan’s first officially compiled art history.)
Photo by Koichi Nishiyama