KUNITOSHI was a pupil of Toyokuni III, who redirected the meticulous skills used to differentiate actors’ dramatic mie poses and intricate kimono patterns into explanatory images that conveyed, in precise detail, the texture of each brick in Meiji-era Western buildings and the complex structures of steam locomotives. His brushwork combines a brightness and sense of visual generosity inherited from his master with an earnest, realistic eye devoted to clearly communicating new and unfamiliar subjects.
Kunitoshi also worked in formats closest to everyday popular life, such as toy print) and newspaper supplements. He consistently depicted the constantly moving streets of Meiji Japan and the vitality of people eager to absorb new knowledge, rendering them with the Utagawa school’s brilliant colors and clear, decisive lines.
Kunitoshi also worked in formats closest to everyday popular life, such as toy print) and newspaper supplements. He consistently depicted the constantly moving streets of Meiji Japan and the vitality of people eager to absorb new knowledge, rendering them with the Utagawa school’s brilliant colors and clear, decisive lines.
