‘Gatherer of Herbs’ by Utagawa Kunisada

Some of the most noted prints on exhibition are by artists renowned for their characterisation of women in print form from the late-eighteenth up to the mid-nineteenth century – Eisen, Eizan, Kunisada, Shigenobu, Shuncho, Shunsen and Utamaro.

Kikukawa Eizan (1787-1867) along with Toyokuni (1769-1825) were renowned for being the most important artists of bijin-ga (‘pictures of beautiful women’), at a time when they were actually in decline as an art form.

Kunisada became a pupil of Toyokuni when he was fifteen years old. Not only was he highly regarded for his actor and courtesan portraits, but also for his bijin-ga . The distinct colouration that was to become his hallmark is evident.

Learn more about Japanese Prints in this collection