KOGYO: Scenes from the Noh Theatre. Ronin Gallery is pleased to present a selection of woodblock prints depicting scenes from the Noh Theatre by Tsuskioka Kogyo (1869-1927). Noh theatre is a traditional aristocratic form of Japanese performing arts that is considered more refined than the popular Kabuki theatre. These prints have a unique almost painterly quality and use much gold, silver and lacquer embellishments. They are literally tout-de-forces of printing and required very skill engravers and printers to produce.
Tsukioka Kogyo was born in Tokyo in 1869. His birth name was Hanyu Sadanosuke. He was the adopted son of the famed ukiyo-e master Yoshitoshi and studied both painting and woodblock printing under him. He later studied with Ogata Gekko. He did a number of nature studies and sino-Japanese war prints but is primarily known for his woodblock prints of the Noh theatre. Kogyo died in Tokyo at the age of 58.
