CHIKANOBU (1838 - 1912): Also known as Yoshu Chikanobu, Toyohara Chikanobu was a samurai in shogun’s court and a dynamic ukiyo-e artist during the Meiji era. He was trained in Kano School painting but turned his attention to woodblock printing and studied with the Utagawa masters Kuniyoshi, Kunisada and Kunichika. He designed prints in all genre, from kabuki actors to historical military scenes, but is best known for his prints portraying women’s fashions, pastimes, and customs. They trace the movement of a traditional Japanese culture into the more modern world that emerged after Perry. These prints are subtly colored and designed with a deep admiration and respect for Japanese beauty and history.
