Katsukawa school
Encyclopedia
The Katsukawa school was a school of Japanese ukiyo-e
art, founded by Miyagawa Shunsui
. It specialized in paintings (nikuhitsuga
) and prints of kabuki
actors (yakusha-e
), sumo
wrestlers, and beautiful women (bijinga
).
Shunsui was the son and student of Miyagawa Chōshun
, and he in turn taught Katsukawa Shunshō
, who is regarded as one of the leading artists of the school. Shunshō personally focused on headshot actor portraits in his prints, and bijin in his paintings.
Other artists of the school included Shunchō
, Shun'ei, Harunobu
and Hokusai
(as Katsukawa Shunrō).
The Katsukawa school was created as the result of political oppression of the Kanō school
of painting by the Tokugawa shogunate
around 1750. Many of the students of Chōshun and Shunsui were arrested and banished, and Chōshun died soon afterwards in 1752. Though the shogunate seemed benevolently inclined towards the Miyagawa school, Shunsui changed the name to Katsu-Miyagawa and then simply to Katsukawa.
The school was particularly popular in the last decades of the 18th century, and was renowned for its realistic actor portraits. Unlike those of the Torii school
, which were more stylized, Katsukawa portraits sought to express the individual identities and personalities of those depicted. Around 1800, however, the Utagawa school
rose to prominence, replacing the Katsukawa in producing the most popular actor portraits. The school thus came to an end around 1840.
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...
art, founded by Miyagawa Shunsui
Miyagawa Shunsui
"Shunsui" redirects here. For the 19th c. doban artist, see Yomo Shunsui; for the writer, see Tamenaga Shunsui; for the anime character, see Shunsui Kyōraku....
. It specialized in paintings (nikuhitsuga
Nikuhitsuga
Nikuhitsuga were a form of Japanese painting in the ukiyo-e art style. Though the woodblock prints of this genre have become so famous in the West as to become almost synonymous with the term "ukiyo-e", in fact most ukiyo-e artists were painters as well as printmakers, with much the same style...
) and prints of kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
actors (yakusha-e
Yakusha-e
Yakusha-e , often referred to as "actor prints" in English, are Japanese woodblock prints or, rarely, paintings, of kabuki actors, particularly those done in the ukiyo-e style popular through the Edo period and into the beginnings of the 20th century...
), sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestlers, and beautiful women (bijinga
Bijinga
Bijinga , is a generic term for pictures of beautiful women in Japanese art, especially in woodblock printing of the ukiyo-e genre, which predate photography...
).
Shunsui was the son and student of Miyagawa Chōshun
Miyagawa Choshun
was a Japanese painter in the ukiyo-e style. Founder of the Miyagawa school, he and his pupils are among the few ukiyo-e artists to have never created woodblock prints. He was born in Miyagawa, in Owari province, but lived much of his later life in Edo, where he died...
, and he in turn taught 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...
, who is regarded as one of the leading artists of the school. Shunshō personally focused on headshot actor portraits in his prints, and bijin in his paintings.
Other artists of the school included Shunchō
Katsukawa Shuncho
was a Japanese designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints, who was active from about 1783 to about 1795.Although a student of Katsukawa Shunshō, Shunchō's output, which consists mostly of prints of beautiful women, more closely resembles the work of Torii Kiyonaga.Shunchō also designed...
, Shun'ei, Harunobu
Suzuki Harunobu
was a Japanese woodblock print artist, one of the most famous in the Ukiyo-e style. He was an innovator, the first to produce full-color prints in 1765, rendering obsolete the former modes of two- and three-color prints. Harunobu used many special techniques, and depicted a wide variety of...
and Hokusai
Hokusai
was a Japanese artist, ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period. He was influenced by such painters as Sesshu, and other styles of Chinese painting...
(as Katsukawa Shunrō).
The Katsukawa school was created as the result of political oppression of the Kanō school
Kano school
The ' is one of the most famous schools of Japanese painting. The Kanō school of painting was the dominant style of painting until the Meiji period.It was founded by Kanō Masanobu , a contemporary of Sesshū and student of Shūbun...
of painting by the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
around 1750. Many of the students of Chōshun and Shunsui were arrested and banished, and Chōshun died soon afterwards in 1752. Though the shogunate seemed benevolently inclined towards the Miyagawa school, Shunsui changed the name to Katsu-Miyagawa and then simply to Katsukawa.
The school was particularly popular in the last decades of the 18th century, and was renowned for its realistic actor portraits. Unlike those of the Torii school
Torii school
This article is about a school of ukiyo-e art; for the sculpture style, see Tori style. For the Torii samurai clan, see Torii family.The Torii school was a school of ukiyo-e painting and printing founded in Edo...
, which were more stylized, Katsukawa portraits sought to express the individual identities and personalities of those depicted. Around 1800, however, the Utagawa school
Utagawa school
The was a group of Japanese woodblock print artists, founded by Toyoharu. His pupil, Toyokuni I, took over after Toyoharu's death and raised the group to become the most famous and powerful woodblock print school for the remainder of the 19th century....
rose to prominence, replacing the Katsukawa in producing the most popular actor portraits. The school thus came to an end around 1840.
Significant artists of the school
- Miyagawa ShunsuiMiyagawa Shunsui"Shunsui" redirects here. For the 19th c. doban artist, see Yomo Shunsui; for the writer, see Tamenaga Shunsui; for the anime character, see Shunsui Kyōraku....
- Katsukawa ShunshōKatsukawa Shunshowas 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...
- Katsukawa ShunchōKatsukawa Shunchowas a Japanese designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints, who was active from about 1783 to about 1795.Although a student of Katsukawa Shunshō, Shunchō's output, which consists mostly of prints of beautiful women, more closely resembles the work of Torii Kiyonaga.Shunchō also designed...
- Katsukawa Shun'ei
- Suzuki HarunobuSuzuki Harunobuwas a Japanese woodblock print artist, one of the most famous in the Ukiyo-e style. He was an innovator, the first to produce full-color prints in 1765, rendering obsolete the former modes of two- and three-color prints. Harunobu used many special techniques, and depicted a wide variety of...
- HokusaiHokusaiwas a Japanese artist, ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period. He was influenced by such painters as Sesshu, and other styles of Chinese painting...
(as Katsukawa Shunrō)