Toyohara Chikanobu

Background

Toyohara Chikanobu was born in 1838 in Niigata, Japan.

Education

Chikanobu studied the Kanō school of painting, but his interest was drawn to ukiyo-e. He studied with a disciple of Keisai Eisen and then he joined the school of Ichiyūsai Kuniyoshi. After Kuniyoshi’s death, he studied with Kunisada.

Career

Before his artistic career, Chikanobu was a retainer of the Sakakibara clan of Takada Domain in Echigo Province. After the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he joined the Shōgitai and fought in the Battle of Ueno. He joined Tokugawa loyalists in Hakodate, Hokkaidō, where he fought in the Battle of Hakodate at the Goryōkaku star fort. He served under the leadership of Enomoto Takeaki and Ōtori Keisuke; and he achieved fame for his bravery. Following the Shōgitai's surrender, he was remanded along with others to the authorities in the Takada domain.

In 1875, he decided to try to make a living as an artist. He travelled to Tokyo and found work as an artist for the Kaishin Shimbun. In addition, he produced nishiki-e artworks. Nevertheless, his interest was drawn to ukiyo-e art genre.

Like many ukiyo-e artists, Chikanobu turned his attention towards a great variety of subjects. His work ranged from Japanese mythology to depictions of the battlefields of his lifetime to women's fashions. For example, "Mirror of Ages" (1897) and "Visit at the crane hunt" (1898). He also painted some battle scenes, including Boshin War in 1868-1869 (Boshin sensō) and Satsuma Rebellion in 1877 (Seinan sensō). Besides, the greatest number of Chikanobu's war prints appeared in triptych format.

Moreover, Chikanobu signed his artworks "Yōshū Chikanobu" that was his art name. His real name was Hashimoto Naoyoshi. Many of his earliest works were signed "studio of Yōshū Chikanobu" Yōshū-sai Chikanobu; a small number of his early creations were simply signed "Yōshū". At least one triptych from 12 Meiji (1879) was signed "Yōshū Naoyoshi". No works have surfaced that are signed either "Toyohara Chikanobu" or "Hashimoto Chikanobu".

Toyohara Chikanobu died in 1912, at the age of 74.

Achievements

• Toyohara Chikanobu was best known as a woodblock artist of Japan's Meiji period. His most notable works included "Flower Arranging and Tea Ceremony" (1895) and "Mirror of Ages" (1897).

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Kyouhou - Mirror of the Ages

  • Visit at the crane hunt

  • Woman walking in the rain, looking at a rickshaw

  • Bijin holding a flower pot

  • Akashi Moon: Harima Province

  • Excited dogs — Inu no kurui

  • Illustration of the Garden Refreshed after the Rain

  • Viewing from a balcony

  • Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men)

  • Shigemori

  • Sugoroku game

  • Practicing pole sword

  • List of Noble Ladies

  • Kouka - Jidai Kagami

  • Mirror of the Ages - Meiji

  • Preparing to Play the Koto

  • Flower Arranging and Tea Ceremony

  • Fireflies at a country house

  • Kesho (Make-up)

  • View of the Gift of the Emperor's Gift Cup

  • Monday: autumn moon over Sumida River

  • Playing Cards - Fuku Zukushi

  • November: performance at Saruwakacho

  • A beauty holding a ball

  • Garden in Early Summer

  • Promulgation of the Constitution

  • Beauty, Ghost and Hero

  • Princess Sakura - Setsu Getsu Ka

  • Illustration of Horse Racing at Shinobazu in Ueno

  • True Beauties

Connections

teacher:

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

teacher:

Kunisada