Kobayashi Kiyochika

Japanese, 1847 - 1915

BiographyKiyochika was the leading Meiji period artist in the area of landscape. His numerous prints present a fusion of Western and Japanese styles. Trained in Western photography, he also studied Western oil painting in Yokohama under the English artist, Charles Wingman. He also studied Japanese painting under Kyôsai and Zeshin, artists who also were caught up in the turmoil of changes brought by the opening of Japan. Kiyochika’s surviving prints are enormous and many are frankly not of great interest as works of art but are important as documents of social change. Some, however, are quite exceptional, particularly prints depicting famous landmarks in Tokyo.

Born in Edo. Given name Katsunosuke. Son of a military retainer of the Tokugawa family. Studied briefly with Kawanabe Gyösai and Shibata Zeshin; may have acquired a concern for the effect of light from the photographer Shimooka Renjö in Yokohama. May also have known the Western painter Charles Wirgman. Best-known prints, 1876-1881, depict scenes of the assimilation of Western influences-often dramatically lit by the moon, fire, or fireworks. From the early 1880s he turned to political and social satire. Worked for a number of comic journals and newspapers, among them Marumaru chinbun for which he made cartoons for 18 years. Also made woodblock illustrations and landscape prints. Working for 6 different publishers, designed ca. 80 battle triptychs during Sino-Japanese War. Also designed a few prints of Russo-Japanese War scenes. Active until the year before his death. Among his publishers were Fukuda Kumajirö and Matsuki Heikichi.

Helen Merritt and Nanako Yamada, Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975
U.S.A.: University of Hawaii Press, 1992, Page 71

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