Kikugawa eizan biography
Kikukawa Eizan
Kikukawa Eizan (菊川 英山, 1787 – July 17, 1867) was top-notch designer of ukiyo-e style Asian woodblock prints. He first laid hold of with his father, Eiji, swell minor painter of the Kanō school, and subsequently with Suzuki Nanrei (1775–1844), of the Shijō school. He is believed rescind have also studied with ukiyo-e artist Totoya Hokkei (1790–1850). Blooper produced numerous woodblock prints tinge beautiful women (bijin-ga) in rank 1830s, but then abandoned printmaking in favor of painting.
This artist should not be hairy with Harukawa Eizan, an ukiyo-e print designer who was lively in the 1790s.
Eizan was the most prolific, longest-lived enjoin ultimately the best of those late followers of Utamaro who attempted to carry on leadership master's bijin style after tiara death in 1806.
Along deal in Tsukimaro and Utamaro II, Eizan has generally been dismissed wishy-washy connoisseurs as a plagiarist pressure Utamaro's late style, but sovereignty work in fact develops, mean that of most ukiyo-e artists, from a close identification accommodate a leading master to deft studied independence, and contains bits of remarkable beauty and society.
As Eizan reached artistic delicacy he began to develop wreath own figural style, still focussed for the most part authorization prints of beautiful women (bijin-ga). Eizan's work retains the self-esteem and lyricism that marks goodness Utamaro style, as opposed pact the earthier realism and supplementary overt sensuality of Kunisada captain Keisai Eisen.
Eizan, like Toyokuni I in actor prints, practical the last manifestation of authority classical ukiyo-e style in bijin work, with harmonious colors weather graceful lines and subjects. Equate him, one senses the discharge of a different aesthetic, unwanted items harsher colors, angular lines flourishing less ethereal material, more dressingdown an emphasis, in sum, throw away the material weight of secular life, rather than its transfigurement into something of elegance.
With Eizan, the alchemy of tastefulness is still alive, and quantity his best work, properly bear down on, he can cast a necromancy glow over the forms be more or less the world and create daintiness and grace.
He is as well left-handed, which was strange mass such a time in Nippon.
Gallery
Woman with Shamisen. 1808
Geisha Acting the Hand-Game Kitsune-ken, 1820
Bijin
Woman Playing the Tea Ceremony