Katsukawa Shunko I
Encyclopedia
was a designer of ukiyo-e
style Japanese woodblock prints
in Edo (Tokyo). He was a student of Katsukawa Shunshō
, and is generally credited with designing the first large head actor portraits (ōkubi-e
). Like his teacher, Shunkō used a jar-shaped seal and was known as Kotsubo (Little Jar). At age 45, the right-handed Shunkō became partially paralyzed and ceased designing woodblock prints
, although he continued producing paintings with his left hand.
. These other Shunkōs are:
Ukiyo-e
' is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre, and pleasure quarters...
style Japanese woodblock prints
Woodblock printing in Japan
Woodblock printing in Japan is a technique best known for its use in the ukiyo-e artistic genre; however, it was also used very widely for printing books in the same period. Woodblock printing had been used in China for centuries to print books, long before the advent of movable type, but was only...
in Edo (Tokyo). He was a student of Katsukawa Shunshō
Katsukawa Shunsho
was a Japanese painter and printmaker in the ukiyo-e style, and the leading artist of the Katsukawa school. Shunshō studied under Miyagawa Shunsui, son and student of Miyagawa Chōshun, both equally famous and talented ukiyo-e artists. Shunshō is most well known for introducing a new form of...
, and is generally credited with designing the first large head actor portraits (ōkubi-e
Okubi-e
An ōkubi-e is a portrait print or painting showing only the head or the head and upper torso. Katsukawa Shunkō I is generally credited with producing the first ōkubi-e. He, along with Katsukawa Shunshō, only designed ōkubi-e of kabuki actors. In the early 1780s, Kitagawa Utamaro designed the...
). Like his teacher, Shunkō used a jar-shaped seal and was known as Kotsubo (Little Jar). At age 45, the right-handed Shunkō became partially paralyzed and ceased designing woodblock prints
Woodblock printing in Japan
Woodblock printing in Japan is a technique best known for its use in the ukiyo-e artistic genre; however, it was also used very widely for printing books in the same period. Woodblock printing had been used in China for centuries to print books, long before the advent of movable type, but was only...
, although he continued producing paintings with his left hand.
Other ukiyo-e artists called “Shunkō”
Several other artists are known in English as “Shunkō”, although their names are not all written with the same kanjiKanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
. These other Shunkōs are:
- Katsukawa Shunkō II (春好, active 1805-1821), better known as Katsukawa ShunsenKatsukawa Shunsen, who is also known as Shunkō II, was a designer of books and ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints. He was born in 1762 and designed prints from about 1805 to about 1821. He initially studied with the Rimpa school artist Tsutsumi Tōrin III. In 1806 or 1807, Shunsen became a student of...
- Shunkō III (春江, active 1824-37), better known as Shunbaisai HokueiShunbaisai HokueiShunbaisai Hokuei , who is also known as Shunkō III, was a designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints in Osaka who was active from about 1824 to 1837. He was a student of Shunkōsai Hokushū. Hokuei’s prints most often portray the kabuki actor Arashi Rikan II, and the quality of these...
- Shunkō IV (春好, active 1802-32), better known as Shunkōsai HokushūShunkosai HokushuShunkōsai Hokushū , who is also known as Shunkō IV, was a designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints in Osaka who was active from about 1802 to 1832....