Toyohara Chikanobu

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The print depicts Yaegaki-hime carrying the helmet of the warrior Takeda Shingen as she dances amidst magical foxfires. Triptych by Chikanobu.
The print depicts Yaegaki-hime carrying the helmet of the warrior Takeda Shingen as she dances amidst magical foxfires. Triptych by Chikanobu.
For other figures with similar names, see Chikanobu.

Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延)(c. 1838-1912), who signed[1] his works, Yōshū Chikanobu　(楊洲周延), was a prolific woodblock artist of Japan's Meiji period. Like most ukiyo-e artists, his œvre portrayed a great range of subjects, including historical battle scenes, kabuki actors, and bijinga, pictures of beautiful women. He became particularly well-known for his exquisite expositions of women's fashion, including both traditional and Western clothing, distinctively illuminating the changes and development in coiffures and make-up through the centuries. With great effort and care he depicted that great cultural transition from the era of the samurai to that of Meiji modernity; he showed how the changes occurring during that immense leap affected the Japanese people of that period.

He exemplified, more than than his contemporaries, the concept of furumekashii/imamekashii[2]. These words describe very well the artistic chaos of the Meiji period and precisely how Chikanobu typifies this period; how the woodblock artists, to whom fell the task of limning this transitional period, were caught between Scylla and Charybdis: clinging to tradition with one's dying breath elucidating the historical versus providing a preview of the future looking through tomorrow's window: looking backwards for inspiration versus being considered up-to date and modern.

Like the majority of his contemporaries, he worked mostly in the ōban tate-e[3] 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. In addition, there are number of sheets of sugoroku (すごろく) with his signature that still exist.

Although he is, perhaps, best known for his triptychs: single topics, and series, two diptych series are known, as well. There are, at least, two polyptych[4] prints known.[5]

Signed illustrated books, ehon (絵本), mostly of an historical nature, which, though not rare, are not terribly common.

«publication date»[6]

[publisher]

He also produced several series in the ōban yoko-e[7]format:

  • jūni hito'e - (十二ひと繪) «1897-8» Twelve Prints in Sequence (a pun on the twelve-layered kimono)
  • heike monogatari (平家物語) «1898»[8] [3] The Tale of the Heike
  • azuma fūzoku mokuroku (東風俗目録) «1901» [4] An Annal of Eastern Pastimes
  • edo nishiki (江戸錦) «1903-5» Edo Brocade


One series is attributed to Chikanobu in chuban tate-e[9]format:

  • miyako no hana iro (都の花色), probably a hikifuda, [10] for cloth/clothing, published by Tōkyō hatsubaimoto (Tokyo sales agency)[11]


At least one series by in aiban yoko-e[12]format is known:

  • kyōiku rekishi gafu (教育歴史画布)- Album of Educational History


A partial list of his single panel ōban tate-e series includes:

  • kagoshima yūfu den (鹿児島勇婦伝) «1877» [13] Heroines of Kagoshima
  • honchō kōtō ki (本朝皇統記) «1878» [] The History of the Imperial Line of Our Country
  • azuma sugata shiki no uta (東姿四季の詠) «1879-81» [12] Compositions in the Eastern Style for the Four Seasons
  • imayō bijin kagami (今様美人鏡) «1881» A Reflection of the Modern Woman
  • imayō bijin kurabe (今様美人竸) «1881» Contrasting Modern Women
  • tō kyōgen homare no wazogi (當狂言名譽俳優) «1882» Hit Plays with Famous Actors
  • tōkyō meisho kurabe (東京名所竸) «1882» [12] Contrasting Views of Famous Places of Tokyo
  • kaika kyōiku mari uta (開化教育鞠唄) «1883» [18] Songs of Enlightenment and Education
  • meiyo iro no sakiwake (名譽色咲分) «1883-4» [1] Honorable Flowers Blooming in Different Colors[13]
  • jiji shinpō (時事新報) «1884» The Very Latest News of Current Events
  • setsu gekka (雪月花) - Snow, Moon, Flower [14]
  • gempei seisuiki (源平盛衰記) «1885» [10] A Chronicle of the Rise and Fall of the Minamoto and the Taira[15]
  • azuma nishiki chūya kurabe (東錦晝夜竸) «1886» [1, 10][16] Brocade of the East, A Contrast of Day and Night
  • Tokugawa kakei ryakki (徳川家系略記) «1886-7» [8] A Brief Account of the Tokugawa Lineage
  • fugaku shū (富嶽集) «1887-91» [1] A Collection of Scenes of Mt. Fuji
  • imayō tōkyō hakkei (今様東京八景) «1888» [11] Eight Views of Tokyo Today
  • azuma fūzoku fuku tsukushi (東風俗福つくし) «1889-90»[17] [9] Customs of the Capital displayed by Homonyms of the word fuku
  • azuma fūzoku nenjū gyōji (東風俗年中行事) «1890» [11] Annual Events and Customs in the Capital
  • nijūshi kō mitate e awase (二十四孝見立画合) «1890-1» [2] A Contrasting Parody of the Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Devotion[18]
  • Bakin chojutsu (馬琴著述) «1890-1» [6] Stories by Bakin
  • gentō shashin kurabe (幻燈寫心竸) «1890-2» [7] Contrasting Life with a Photograph shown through a Magic Lantern
  • azuma kagami (東鑑) «1892» Mirror of the East
  • mitate jūnishi (見立十二支) «1893-4» [6] A Contrasting Parody of the Zodiac[19]
  • fujin sokuhatsu shukuzu (婦人束髪縮圖) «1895» [17] Reduced Drawings of Western-style Hairdos for Women
  • shiki no hana kyōgen mitate (四季の花狂言見立) «1895» [16] Comparing Dramas to Flowers of the Four Seasons
  • azuma (東) «1896» [3] The East
  • jidai kagami (時代鑑) «1896-8» [4] A Mirror of the Ages
  • shin bijin (真美人) «1897-8» [14] Truly Beautiful Women
  • tōkyō meisho (東京名所) «1902» Famous Places of Tokyo
  • kagoshima eimenden (鹿兒島英名傅) [12] Chronicles of the Glories of the Satsuma Revolt


Two of his well-known ōban tate-e diptych[20] series are:

  • meisho bijin awase (名所美人合) «1897» Matching Beautiful Women with Scenic Places
  • nihon meijo to (日本名女吐) «1893» [5] Very Tall Stories about Famous Women of Japan


This partial list of his triptych[21] series does not include his numerous kabuki scenes, which were never collated into a series:

  • chiyoda no ooku (千代田の大奥) - Chiyoda Palace: The Inner Rooms
  • chiyoda no on-omote (千代田の御表) - Chiyoda Palace: Outside the Walls
  • azuma no hana (東の花) - Flowers of the East
  • chōsenhen hō (朝鮮變報) - A Report of the Korean Disturbance
  • settsu gekka no uchi (雪月花の内) - Inside Snow, Moon, Flower
  • joreishiki no zu (女禮式の図) - Handbook of Ladies' Etiquette
  • nihon reikishi kyōkun jin (日本歴史教訓尽) - Complete Lessons of Japanese History
  • Tokugawa jidai kifujin (徳川時代貴婦人) - Ladies of the Tokugawa period


Even prior to the Meiji period publishers were known to commission several artists for a major project, although Chikanobu's contributions in this area are notably minimal. During this era, war prints [22] recorded the important battles of foreign wars[23] in which Japan took part, as well as that very significant uprising against Japan's entry into the modern world by the disgruntled samurai of that era. An album of twenty-five triptychs was published in 1877 by several artists, [24] including Chikanobu, which brought to light the events of this important domestic insurrection.[25]


There is a newspaper series, shinbun nishiki-e (新聞錦絵), in ōban tate-e format, kyōdō risshiki (教導立志基) «1886» [4] Exemplars of Learning and Achievement, which includes two prints by Chikanobu amongst a collection of fifty three by several Meiji artists.[26]


Contents

[edit] Publishers

[1] Kōbayashi Tetsujirō (小林鉄次郎) was located at 日本橋区通三丁目十三番地

[2] Hasegawa Nobuyarō (長谷川常冶郎)

[3] Fukuda Hatsujirō (福田初二郎)

[4] Matsumoto Heikichi (松本平吉)

[5] Takegawa Seikichi (武川清吉)

[6] Morimoto Junzaburō (森本順三郎) was located at 浅草區瓦丁二バンチ

[7] Yokoyama Ryōhachi (横山良八) was located at下谷区スキヤ町二バンチ

[8] Komiyama Shōhei (小宮山昇平)

[9] Takegawa Unokichi (武川卯之吉)

[10] Tsunashima Kamekichi (綱島亀吉) was located at 日本橋区馬喰町二丁目十四番地

[11] Hasegawa Sonokichi (長谷川園吉) was located at 日本橋区小傳馬町三丁目十七番地

[12] Hashimoto Tadayoshi (槗本直義)

[13] Yamamura Kinzaburō (山村金三郎)

[14] Akiyama Buemon (秋山武右衞門) was located at 日本橋區室町三丁目九番地

[15] Matsuki Heikichi (松木平吉)

[16] Tsujioka Bunsuke (辻岡文助)

[17] Yamaguchi Yoshi (山口芳)

[18] Arita-ya (有田冶) was located at 駒込東庁町百四十七番地

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ His earliest works were signed Yōshūsai Chikanobu (楊洲齋周延)
  2. ^ As so clearly defined by Miner, Odagiri and Morrell in the Princeton Companion to Classical Japanese Literature, pp. 9,27.
  3. ^ The ōban tate-e format is ~35 x 24.5 cm or about 14" x 9.75" and is vertically oriented
  4. ^ referring in this case to more than three panels
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ This is a date that is found either in the body or on the border of the print. This is not to be miscontrued as the actual date of printing as later versions (editions) and recuts may be found with the same publication date.
  7. ^ The ōban yoko-e format is ~24.5 x ~35 cm or about 9.75" x 14" and is horizontally positioned
  8. ^ There are two distinct printings: the earlier one in 1898 and a later one in 1906
  9. ^ The chuban tate-e format is ~25.5 x 19 cm or about 10" x 7.5" and is vertically oriented
  10. ^ advertising circular
  11. ^ These are attributed to Chikanobu and the publishing date is unknown
  12. ^ The aiban yoko-e format is ~22.5 x 34.5 cm or about 9" x 13" and is horizontally positioned
  13. ^ It was the custom of many artists thoroughout the years to glorify courtesans and tea-house waitresses, so this title might be read: "Reputable Ladies of Different Houses.
  14. ^ This is another very common theme amongst the artists of the Meiji period. Chikanobu produced two entirely different single ōban series, as well as a triptych series, with this title. The earlier ōban series was published «1884-6 »[1] with a second edition published «1895»; the other series was published «1898-1902» [15].
  15. ^ There are two editions of this series, though both with the same publishing date. One, with an ornate, colored border, which usually contains the print number in the cartouche and the other, with a plain gray border, which is not numbered.
  16. ^ This series was printed by two publishers: there are examples of different prints from the two publishers printed on the same day. No examples have been found of the same print having been issued by both houses.
  17. ^ Many prints in this series are undated.
  18. ^ A very popular theme with several Meiji artists, depicting the Confucian exemplars of filial devotion. Their Japanese counterparts have also been portrayed, though not by Chikanobu, who uses this theme to contrast these paragons with modern Japanese women, mostly from the entertainment class.
  19. ^ The insets were done by several of his students.
  20. ^ All Chikanobu's diptychs are known only in ōban tate-e format. No vertical diptychs (kakemono-e) have come to light, as yet.
  21. ^ All Chikanobu's triptychs are known only in ōban tate-e format.
  22. ^ known as sensō-e (戦争絵) and found, for the most part, in triptych format
  23. ^ The First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 and The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05
  24. ^ Okumura Toshinobu, Hasegawa Sadanobu, Nakai Yoshitaki, Suzuki Toshimoto, et al.
  25. ^ Satsuma Rebellion
  26. ^ Kobayashi Kiyochika, Inoue Tankei, Mizuno Toshikata, Toyohara Kunichika, Utagawa Kuniaki , Taiso Yoshitoshi, et al.


[edit] Further reading

  • Bruce Coats, Kyoko Kurita, Joshua S. Mostow, Allen Hockley. Chikanobu: Modernity And Nostalgia in Japanese Prints. Leiden, Boston, Tokyo: Brill Academic Pub, 2006, ISBN 13: 978-9074-82288-6

[edit] External links

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