Shunshosai Hokucho Explained

(fl. 1822–1830)[1] was a Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print artist active in the Osaka area during the first half of the nineteenth century. He was a member of the Shunkōsai Fukushū school of artists,[2] and studied under .[3] His original surname was, and he used the art names (1822-1824), (1824-1830), .[4]

As an Osaka-based artist, Hokuchō's works are categorized as, a term used to distinguish prints produced in the Kamigata area (Kyoto and Osaka) from those produced in Edo.[5] Kamigata-e were predominantly images of kabuki actors, and were produced almost exclusively by amateur “talented kabuki fans” promoting their favourite actors rather than professional print designers.[6]

Works

Hokuchō was not a prolific artist and few prints attributed to him survive. Many of his prints are characterized by yellow backgrounds,[7] and all of these images are yakusha-e kabuki actor portraits. Actors featured in his works include,,,,,,,, and .

The majority of his prints were published by (Honsei), although he also produced works for the firms (Tenki) and .[8] He regularly worked with Kasuke, one of the most esteemed woodblock carvers of the period.[9] [10]

Modern art historians and critics have not been overly impressed with Hokuchō's skill, describing him as "competent but limited",[11] and less talented than his mentor, Hokushū.[12]

Collections

Works by Shunshosai Hokuchō belong to the permanent collections of various international museums including the following:

See also

External links

References

Notes and References

  1. In his exhaustive bibliography of ukiyo-e artists, Kato refers to Hokuchō's contribution— under the name Inoue Shunshosai— in 1839–1840 (Tenpō 10–11) of woodblock print book illustrations to 3 different volumes:, and . Almost all bibliographical references to Hokuchō, however, date the end of his productivity to 1830. Lyon states that Hokuchō's last print was published in the third month of 1833.
  2. Other members of the school were Gatōken Shunshi, Shunbaisai Hokuei (Shunkō III) and Seiyōsai Shunshi.
  3. Keyes and Mizushima 1973, 223
  4. Inoue 1931, 180
  5. JAANUS, "Kamigata-e"
  6. Kitagawa 2005, 230
  7. Lyon 2013
  8. Lyon 2013
  9. Lyon 2013
  10. Doesburg describes Kasuke as "the famous and in those days unrivalled [sic] master-carver."
  11. Roberts 1980, 51
  12. Keyes & Mizushima 1973, 224