Utagawa Toyoharu II was a Japanese printmaker working within the Utagawa school, the most dominant ukiyo-e studio of the nineteenth century. The school was founded by Utagawa Toyoharu (c. 1735-1814), who moved from Kyoto to Edo around 1763 and became known for his horizontal prints incorporating Western one-point vanishing perspective.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Japanese
Biography
The original Toyoharu studied painting under the Kano school master Tsuruzawa Tangei before becoming a student of Toriyama Sekien. He adopted the Utagawa surname from his residence in the Udagawacho district of Edo's Shiba. His main students, Toyokuni and Toyohiro, carried the school forward, and through their pupils the Utagawa lineage produced an estimated 450 to 500 artists across multiple generations.
The designation Toyoharu II likely indicates a successor or second-generation practitioner within this lineage, following the Japanese convention of artistic name inheritance. Printmakers in the Utagawa school typically worked in the woodblock medium, producing genre scenes, landscapes, and actor portraits in the ukiyo-e tradition.
Timeline
- 1763Utagawa Toyoharu (c. 1735-1814) moved from Kyoto to Edo around this year.
- 1814Utagawa Toyoharu (c. 1735-1814) died.
- 1814Utagawa Toyoharu II became a printmaker in the Utagawa school.
- 1814Began working within the Utagawa school, known for ukiyo-e woodblock prints.
- 1814Produced genre scenes, actor portraits, and landscapes.
Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Utagawa Toyoharu II known for?
The original Utagawa Toyoharu was the first to design ukiyo-e that depicted landscapes and house interiors after Dutch models. He founded the Ukiyo-e school, which existed longer than any other and produced some of Japan's most famous artists of that time.Who was Utagawa Toyoharu II?
Utagawa Toyoharu II was a Japanese printmaker from the Utagawa school, which was the most dominant ukiyo-e studio of the nineteenth century. The designation "Toyoharu II" suggests he was a successor or second-generation artist within the Utagawa lineage, following the Japanese convention of artistic name inheritance. Printmakers in the Utagawa school typically worked in the woodblock medium, creating genre scenes, actor portraits, and landscapes in the ukiyo-e tradition.What was Utagawa Toyoharu II's art style?
The original Utagawa Toyoharu was the first to design ukiyo-e depicting landscapes and interiors of houses after the Dutch models. He also studied painting under Kano school master Tsuruzawa Tangei.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Utagawa Toyoharu II.
- [1] wikidata Wikidata: Q11545207 Used for: identifiers.
- [2] book issn_75178869 Used for: biography.
- [3] book Andreas Marks, Japanese Woodblock Prints Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
- [4] book Japanese woodblock prints in miniature: The genre of surimono Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
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