Contents
Kawanabe Kyōsai
Painting lively scenes of folklore, animals and satire across Japan’s Edo and Meiji eras.
Hell Courtesan · Kyōsai Gadan
- Born
- 18 May 1831
- Birthplace
- Koga, Japan
- Died
- 26 April 1889
More people
Kawanabe Kyōsai
Kawanabe Kyōsai was a Japanese painter and caricaturist whose work combined formal training with irreverent humour. He made paintings, prints and illustrated books rather than staying within a single genre.
Early life
Samurai family
Was born in Koga, the son of a samurai.
Two traditions
Studied first with Utagawa Kuniyoshi and then in the Kanō painting tradition.
Career
- 1855
Popular prints
Collaborated with writer Kanagaki Robun on earthquake-related catfish imagery.
- 1860s
Satirical reputation
Became known for caricatures during a period of political upheaval.
- 1874
Illustrated magazine
Worked with Robun on the short-lived Eshinbun Nipponchi.
- 1887
Painting treatise
Published an illustrated account of his art and life.
Selected work
Hell Courtesan
A print mixing Buddhist imagery with a legendary courtesan.
Kyōsai Gadan
An illustrated treatise combining artistic instruction and autobiography.
Buffalo and Herdsman
A painting drawing on a traditional Chinese subject.
Beyond work
Painting gatherings
Demonstrated his improvisational skill at social painting parties.
Artistic family
His daughter Kawanabe Gyōsui became an artist and teacher.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Metropolitan Museum of Art: Buffalo and Herdsman ↗Hell Courtesan, 1874 ↗Pictorial Accounts, 1887 ↗Photo: Unknown author Unknown author. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
