Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延; 1838–1912), better known to his contemporaries asYōshū Chikanobu (楊洲周延), was a Japanese painter and printmaker who was widely regarded as a prolificwoodblock artist during theMeiji epoch.
Print depicting Yaegaki-hime carrying the helmet of the warriorTakeda Shingen as she dances amid magicalfoxfires inHoncho Nijushiko. Triptych by Chikanobu.
Chikanobu signed his artwork "Yōshū Chikanobu" (楊洲周延). This was his "art name" (作品名,sakuhinmei). The artist's "real name" (本名,honmyō) was Hashimoto Naoyoshi (橋本直義); and it was published in his obituary.[1]
Many of his earliest works were signed "studio of Yōshū Chikanobu" (楊洲齋周延,Yōshū-sai Chikanobu); a small number of his early creations were simply signed "Yōshū" (楊洲). At least one triptych from 12 Meiji (1879) exists signed "Yōshū Naoyoshi" (楊洲直義).
The portrait of theEmperor Meiji held by the British Museum is inscribed "drawn by Yōshū Chikanobu by special request" (應需楊洲周延筆,motome ni ōjite Yōshū Chikanobu hitsu).[2]
No works have surfaced that are signed either "Toyohara Chikanobu" or "Hashimoto Chikanobu".[3]
In 1875 (Meiji 8), he decided to try to make a living as an artist. He travelled to Tokyo. He found work as an artist for theKaishin Shimbun.[4] In addition, he producednishiki-e artworks.[1] In his younger days, he had studied theKanō school of painting; but his interest was drawn toukiyo-e. He studied with a disciple ofKeisai Eisen and then he joined the school ofIchiyūsai Kuniyoshi; during this period, he called himself Yoshitsuru. After Kuniyoshi's death, he studied with Kunisada. He also referred to himself as Yōshū.[1]
Like manyukiyo-e artists, Chikanobu turned his attention towards a great variety of subjects. His work ranged fromJapanese mythology to depictions of the battlefields of his lifetime to women's fashions. As well as a number of the other artists of this period, he too portrayedkabuki actors in character, and is well known for his impressions of themie (mise en scène) of kabuki productions. Chikanobu was known as a master ofbijinga[1] (images of beautiful women), and for illustrating changes in women's fashion, including both traditional and Western clothing. His work illustrated the changes in coiffures and make-up across time. For example, in Chikanobu's images inMirror of Ages (1897), the hair styles of theTenmei era, 1781-1789[5] are distinguished from those of theKeiō era, 1865-1867.[6] His works capture the transition from the age of the samurai to Meiji modernity, the artistic chaos of the Meiji period exemplifying the concept of "furumekashii/imamekashii".[7]
Chikanobu is a recognizableMeiji period artist,[8] but his subjects were sometimes drawn from earlier historical eras. For example, one print illustrates an incident during the1855 Ansei Edo earthquake.[9] The earlyMeiji period was marked by clashes between disputing samurai forces with differing views about ending Japan's self-imposed isolation and about the changing relationship between the Imperial court and the Tokugawa shogunate.[10] He created a range of impressions and scenes of theSatsuma Rebellion andSaigō Takamori.[11] Some of these prints illustrated the period of domestic unrest and other subjects of topical interest, including prints like the 1882 image of theImo Incident, also known as the Jingo Incident (壬午事変,jingo jihen) at right.
The greatest number of Chikanobu's war prints (戦争絵,sensō-e) appeared in triptych format. These works documented theFirst Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. For example, the "Victory at Asan"[12] was published with a contemporaneous account of the July 29, 1894 battle.
Among those influenced by Chikanobu wereNobukazu (楊斎延一,Yōsai Nobukazu) andGyokuei (楊堂玉英,Yōdō Gyokuei).[1]
Like the majority of his contemporaries, he worked mostly in theōban tate-e[14] format. There are quite a number of single panel series, as well as many other prints in this format which are not a part of any series.
He produced several series in theōban yoko-e[15] format, which were usually then folded cross-wise to produce an album.
Although he is, perhaps, best known for his triptychs, single topics and series, two diptych series are known as well. There are, at least, threepolyptych[16] prints known.[17]
His signature may also be found in the line drawings and illustrations in a number ofehon (絵本), which were mostly of a historical nature. In addition, there are fan printsuchiwa-e (団扇絵), as well as number of sheets ofsugoroku (すごろく) with his signature that still exist and at least three prints in thekakemono-e[18] format were produced in his latter years.
In a statistical overview derived from writings by and about Hashimoto Toyohara,OCLC/WorldCat encompasses roughly 300+ works in 300+ publications in 2 languages and 700+ library holdings[19]
This is adynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help byediting the page to add missing items, with references toreliable sources.
A Seated Woman with a Lacquer Candle Stand (c. 1875) by Chikanobu. Wood-block print, 36.2 × 23.8 cm (14.25 × 9.37 in). Collection of Brooklyn Museum.
^abcdefghSee "Yōshū Chikanobu [obituary],"Miyako Shimbun, No. 8847 (October 2, 1912). p. 195: "Yōshū Chikanobu, who represented innishiki-e the Great Interior of theChiyoda Castle and was famous as a master ofbijin-ga, had retired to Shimo-Ōsaki at the foot of Goten-yama five years ago and led an elegant life away from the world, but suffered from stomach cancer starting this past June, and finally died on the night of September 28th at the age of seventy-five. His real name being Hashimoto Naoyoshi, he was a retainer of theSakakibara clan ofTakada domain inEchigo province. After the collapse of theTokugawa Shogunate, he joined theShōgitai and fought in theBattle of Ueno. After the defeat at Ueno, he fled toHakodate, Hokkaidō, fought in theBattle of Hakodate at theGoryōkakustar fort under the leadership ofEnomoto Takeaki andŌtori Keisuke achieving fame for his bravery. But following the Shōgitai's surrender, he was handed over to the authorities in the Takada domain. In the eighth year of Meiji, with the intention of making a living in the way that he was fond of, went to the capital and lived in Yushima-Tenjin town. He became an artist for theKaishin Shimbun, and on the side, produced many nishiki-e pieces. Regarding his artistic background: when he was younger he studied theKanō school of painting, but later switched toukiyo-e and studied with a disciple ofKeisai Eisen; and next joining the school ofUtagawa Kuniyoshi , called himself Yoshitsuru. After Kuniyoshi's death, he studied with Kunisada. Later he studied nigao-e withToyohara Kunichika, and called himself Isshunsai Chikanobu. He also referred to himself as Yōshū. Among his disciples wereNobukazu (楊斎延一,Yōsai Nobukazu) andGyokuei (楊堂玉英,Yōdō Gyokuei) as a painter of images onfans (uchiwa-e), and several others. Gyokuei producedKajita Hanko. Since only Nobukazu now is in good health, there is no one to succeed to Chikanobu's bijin-ga, and thusEdo-e, after the death of Kunichika, has perished with Chikanobu. It is most regrettable." — trans. byKyoko Iriye Selden (October 2, 1936, Tokyo-January 20, 2013, Ithaca), Senior Lecturer, Department of Asian Studies, Cornell University, ret'd.
^British Museum,[1] woodblock print. Portrait of the Meiji Emperor
^Gobrich,"Edo to Meiji,"Japan Times. March 6, 2009; excerpt, " One picture shows people escaping from a collapsing house during theAnsei Edo earthquake of 1855, which reportedly killed over 6,000 people and destroyed much of the city. What gives this image a particularly timeless feel is the fact that the noble lady of the house — in accordance with the rules of etiquette and social decorum — has taken the trouble to get into her palanquin first before being carried out of the collapsing house.."
^"Yōshū Chikanobu [obituary],"Miyako Shimbun, No. 8847 (October 2, 1912). p. 195; Gobrich,"Edo to Meiji,"Japan Times. March 6, 2009; excerpt, "[Chikanobu] was originally a samurai vassal of the Tokugawa Shogunate who saw action in theBoshin War (1868-69), which ended the country's feudal system."
^British Museum,Meiji shoshi nenkai kiji, 1877; woodblock print, triptych. Saigo Takamori and his followers in the Satsuma rebellion
^Theōban tate-e (大判竪絵) format is ~35 x 24.5 cm or about 14" x 9.75" and is vertically oriented. For further information about woodblock formats, please seeWoodblock printing in Japan
^Theōban yoko-e (大判竪絵) format is ~24.5 x ~35 cm or about 9.75" x 14" and is horizontally positioned. For further information about woodblock formats, please seeWoodblock printing in Japan
^one of which is a five panel print from the series, "The Imperial Ladies' Quarters at Chiyoda Palace" entitled,konrei (こんれい) The Marriage Ceremony and there is a four panel tetraptych displaying Golden Dragon Mountain in Asakusa Park. The other is a very well known nine-panel print entitledMeiji Sanjū-Ichi-Nen Shi-Gatsu Tōka: Tento Sanjū-Nen Shukugakai Yokyō Gyōretsu no Zu (明治31年4月10日: 奠都30年祝賀會餘興行列の図),The Procession in Commemoration of the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Transfer of the Capital.
^Thekakemono-e (掛物絵) format is ~71.8 x ~24.4 cm or about 28.3" x 9.6" and consists of two vertically positioned oban tate-e prints joined on the shorter side. For further information about woodblock formats, please seeWoodblock printing in Japan
Cavaye, Ronald; Paul Griffith; Akihiko Senda and Mansai Nomura. (2004).A Guide to the Japanese Stage: from Traditional to Cutting Edge. Tokyo: Kōdansha.ISBN978-4-7700-2987-4;OCLC148109695
Till, Barry. (2010). "Woodblock Prints of Meiji Japan (1868-1912): A View of History Though Art". Hong Kong: Arts of Asia. Vol. XL, no.4, pp. 76–98.ISSN0004-4083;OCLC1514382
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