At the end of the 19th century the first Japanese woodblock prints came to Europe as cheap packaging material for imports. The artistic avant-garde was inspired, just think of the brightly colored works of Edgar Degas or Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, which are characterized by radical room layout and immediacy. But the influence was mutual: even the famous ukiyo-e artist Torii Kiyonaga had his Japanese beauties perform in front of a landscape that shows a horizon and also perspective in a typically Western manner. The ukiyo-e movement wanted to celebrate the fleeting life and pleasures of the day in the sense of a "carpe diem!
Torii Kiyonaga was one of the great masters of his craft. He studied with his stepfather Torii Kiyomitsu and created expressive images of actors of the Kabuki theatre with their mask-like distorted, heavily made-up faces. But unlike his teacher, he mainly showed the everyday pleasures of the upper middle-class society of Tokyo, then Edo, and other up-and-coming Japanese cities. He was born in Edo in 1752 as the son of a bookseller. Kiyonaga did not belong to the better society he wanted to portray, but he was far more talented than the natural son of his teacher, so that he was to follow in his teacher's footsteps. In his woodblock prints he presents us the daily tasks of the fine and fine-tuned society. Thus we become witnesses of a bathhouse scene in which clothed, but also naked women seem to be unobserved. A mother dries her baby - a scene of hitherto unknown realism. Are we perhaps the voyeur who seems to be looking through a hidden hatch? So are the women portrayed courtesans putting themselves on display? Well, the man could also be a sansuke who was a common masseur in Japanese bath houses. However, Kiyonaga also has more chaste scenes, for example of women in kimonos who are surprised by a shower and seek shelter under a temple roof or take a boat trip on a lake. Torii Kiyonaga also created a picture cycle over the twelve months, which shows us a lot about the Japanese society of the time and its refined customs. But playing children can be found all over the world, and these here from Japan are given in the most dynamic and vivid way. However, the children here seem to be barefoot in a snowball fight, which does not quite fit in with his reputation as a particularly realistic artist.
Torii Kiyonaga took over the Torii School from his teacher and passed on his knowledge and innovations to a younger generation of artists. To this day he is still considered the great master of bijin-ga, the depiction of beautiful styled women in exquisite settings - that's what you would say today. The master died in Edo in 1815, but his work still indirectly influenced the Japan-loving circles of the European art avant-garde almost a hundred years later.
×
Passionate Customer Service
.jpg "Woman with Black Hood in Windblown Leaves, from the series \"Twelve Scenes of Popular Customs (Fuzoku juni tsui)\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Iris Garden, ca. 1784 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Eight_Fashi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281735).jpg "A Fan Suggesting a Dispersed Storm, from the series \"Eight Fashionable Scenes of the Parlor\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Eight_Fashi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281735).jpg)
.jpg "Young Man Playing Flute as Three Girls Watch by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Kiyonaga Bathhouse Women by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Murasaki Shikibu by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Iris Garden, c. 1775-1815 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Actors in a Shosa Combination of Acting and Dancing Performance, ca. 1790. by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301288).jpg "The First Bath of the New Year, from the illustrated book")
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301288).jpg)
_from_the_illustrated_book_-_(MeisterDrucke-1284243).jpg "The First Calligraphy of the New Year (Kissho hajime), from the illustrated book \"Colors of the Triple Dawn (Saishiki mitsu no asa)\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_illustrated_book_-_(MeisterDrucke-1284243).jpg)
.jpg "Man in a Black Haori Coat and Two Women Approaching a Temple. by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Minami_jun_-_(MeisterDrucke-1270346).jpg "The Tenth Month (Jugatsu) from the series")
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Minami_jun_-_(MeisterDrucke-1270346).jpg)
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Minami_ju_-_(MeisterDrucke-1295337).jpg "The Third Month, from the Series")
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Minami_ju_-_(MeisterDrucke-1295337).jpg)
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_Sa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1285069).jpg "The Sixth Month (Kazemachizuki), from the Series")
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_Sa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1285069).jpg)
.jpg "Morning of Iris, from the series \"Five Festivals in the Pleasure Quarters\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Flowers_of_N_-_(MeisterDrucke-1299074).jpg "Two Geisha Struggling for a Letter, from the series \"Flowers of Nakasu\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Flowers_of_N_-_(MeisterDrucke-1299074).jpg)
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Twelve_Seasons_(Furyu_juni_-_(MeisterDrucke-1277357).jpg "The Fifth Month (Satsuki), from the series \"Fashionable Twelve Seasons\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Twelve_Seasons_(Furyu_juni_-_(MeisterDrucke-1277357).jpg)
_from_the_series_Eight_Fashion_-_(MeisterDrucke-1299519).jpg "Descending Geese at Mimeguri, from the series \"Eight Fashionable Views of Edo\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Eight_Fashion_-_(MeisterDrucke-1299519).jpg)
.jpg "Brothel client with courtesan, Shikidō jūniban (series title on object) by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_of_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-1291079).jpg "The First Day of Business, from the illustrated book \"Colors of the Triple Dawn\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_illustrated_book_Colors_of_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-1291079).jpg)
_from_the_series_A_Collection_of_Con_-_(MeisterDrucke-1272132).jpg "Flowers of the Doteshita District, from the series")
_from_the_series_A_Collection_of_Con_-_(MeisterDrucke-1272132).jpg)
.jpg "Yumoto, from the series \"Seven Famous Hot Springs of Hakone\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1303374).jpg "The Fourth Month, from the series \"Twelve Months in the South\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1303374).jpg)
.jpg "Chrysanthemum Festival, from the series \"Precious Children")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Eight_Scenes_of_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-1287940).jpg "Sunset Glow of Late Summer, from the series")
_from_the_series_Eight_Scenes_of_th_-_(MeisterDrucke-1287940).jpg)
.jpg "The Actor Iwai Hanshiro IV and his attendant, from an untitled series of prints showing Actors in private life by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Ten_Kinds_of_Incense_in_the_Pleasur_-_(MeisterDrucke-1282003).jpg "Hairdressing Room (Kamibeya), from the Series")
_from_the_series_Ten_Kinds_of_Incense_in_the_Pleasur_-_(MeisterDrucke-1282003).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296994).jpg "Totsuka, from the series \"Mount Fuji in the Four Seasons (Shiki no Fuji)\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296994).jpg)
_from_the_series_Eight_Scenes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1279675).jpg "Geese Descending in Mid Autumn, from the series")
_from_the_series_Eight_Scenes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1279675).jpg)
.jpg "Courtesan Going to Bed, from the series \"Ten Types of Beauties in Pictures\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Night Rain of the Tea Stand, from the series")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Twelve_Stages_of_Matrimony_(Konrei_juni_shi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275585).jpg "First Meeting (Miai), from the series \"Twelve Stages of Matrimony\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Twelve_Stages_of_Matrimony_(Konrei_juni_shi_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275585).jpg)
.jpg "The Actor Sakata Hangoro II as Kobayashi no Asahina, Edo Period, 1775 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Sixth Month, Enjoying the Evening Cool in a Teahouse, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "A Girl and Four Servants, from the Series")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275787).jpg "Kamioki, from the series \"A Brocade of Eastern Manners\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1275787).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281749).jpg "The Ninth Month, from the series \"Twelve Months in the South\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1281749).jpg)
.jpg "Teahouse Overlooking Rice Fields, from the Series")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298771).jpg "The Fourth Month, from the Series")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298771).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296981).jpg "Tomigaoka, from the series")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1296981).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301914).jpg "Ushi-no-gozen, from the series Famous Places of Edo by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301914).jpg)
.jpg "Carrying a Lantern Decorated with a Pavilion, Gohei, Flowers, and Fan, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "Entertainers of the Tachibana, from the series \"A Collection of Contemporary Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Beauties Under a Maple Tree, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "Uma no Naishi, from the series")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Mina_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301231).jpg "The Seventh Month, from the series \"Twelve Months in the South\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Twelve_Months_in_the_South_(Mina_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301231).jpg)
.jpg "The Nakamise Shopping Street, from the series")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_Sa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298654).jpg "The Sixth Month, from the series")
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Monthly_Visits_to_Sa_-_(MeisterDrucke-1298654).jpg)
.jpg "Out for a Walk, from the series \"A Collection of Contemporary Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Actor Matsumoto Koshiro IV and a Geisha, from an Untitled Series of Prints Showing Actors in Private Life by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "A Man with a Boy and a Geisha Visiting the Kinryusan Temple by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "A Visit to a Shrine, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "High-Ranking Samurai Girl with Four Attendants by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Fourth Month from the series Fashionable Monthly Visits to Temples in the Four Seasons by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The View from Komagata Hall, from the Series")
.jpg)
.jpg "Young Boy Wearing Hakama for the First Time, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "Carrying a lantern sponsored by the Kojimachi, from the series \"The Festival of the Sanno Shrine\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Fifth Month, from the series Twelve Months in the Southern Pleasure District by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Beauty in Summer Breeze, 18th century by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "A Couple of Lovers Playing with a Monkey, 1780 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Geisha and Her Maid Carrying a Shamisen Box by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_by_Torii_Kiyonaga_-_(MeisterDrucke-980136).jpg "Women")
_by_Torii_Kiyonaga_-_(MeisterDrucke-980136).jpg)
.jpg "The Courtesan Toji of the Ogiya with Her Attendants Satoji and Uraji, from the series \"Models for Fashion: New Designs as Fresh as Young Leaves\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_as_Chidori_Sawamura_Sojuro_III_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301572).jpg "The Actors Nakayama Kojuro VI as Chidori, Sawamura Sojuro III as Shigemori, and Ichikawa Yaozo III as Yoshibei, in the Shosa \"Fukyoku Edo Geisha,\" Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1785 by Torii Kiyonaga")
_as_Chidori_Sawamura_Sojuro_III_-_(MeisterDrucke-1301572).jpg)
.jpg "Two Geisha Walking under a Cherry Tree by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Theatrical Scene, with Musicians by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1283713).jpg "Five Musicians (Gonin bayashi) by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1283713).jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1290227).jpg "Enoshima, from the series \"Mount Fuji in the Four Seasons\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1290227).jpg)
.jpg "A Woman and Two Maids, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "Two actors as Iwai Hanshiro IV and Segawa Kikunojo III in the Karukoma dance, accompanied by Joruri recitation by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Actors Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Segawa Kikunojo III, from a pentaptych of eleven actors celebrating the festival of the shrine of the Soga brothers by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Carrying a Lantern Decorated with the Flowers of the Four Seasons, from the series \"The Festival of the Sanno Shrine\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1291039).jpg "Gyokkashi Eimo before Executing Calligraphy by Torii Kiyonaga")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1291039).jpg)
.jpg "The Saruwaka Dance by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Scene of the Drama Oakinai Hiru-ga-Koshima by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Entertainers of Nakazu, from the Series A Collection of Contemporary Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
_from_the_series_Beauties_Illustrating_the_Four_Social_Classes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1277969).jpg "The Samurai (Shi) from the Series Beauties Illustrating the Four Social Classes by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Beauties_Illustrating_the_Four_Social_Classes_-_(MeisterDrucke-1277969).jpg)
.jpg "The Fifth Month, ca. 1791 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Actor Bando Hikosaburo III as Kichisaburo in the Play \"Junshoku Edo Murasaki,\" Performed at the Ichimura Theater in the First Month, 1779 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Sixth Month, from the series Twelve Months in the South by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Sashiye name of a place in Edo by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "A Fan Suggesting a Dispersed Storm by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "No. 4: Chinese Boys Playing a Raffle Game, from the series \"Children Say")
.jpg)
.jpg "Matsumoto Koshiro III as Kusunoki Bokon and Sawamura Kijuro as Omori Hikoshichi in the Scene from a Drama by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
 1783 (colour woodblock p - (MeisterDrucke-94738).jpg "Young woman wearing a wide straw hat, followed by a servant and a companion carrying a")
 1783 (colour woodblock p - (MeisterDrucke-94738).jpg)
.jpg "Visitors to Enoshima by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "Going to a Picnic, from the series")
.jpg)
_from_the_illustrated_book_Color_-_(MeisterDrucke-1297070).jpg "The First Garments of the New Year, from the illustrated book \"Colors of the Triple Dawn\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_illustrated_book_Color_-_(MeisterDrucke-1297070).jpg)
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Twelve_Seasons_(Furyu_juni_-_(MeisterDrucke-1279428).jpg "The First Month (Mutsuki), from the series \"Fashionable Twelve Seasons\" by Torii Kiyonaga")
_from_the_series_Fashionable_Twelve_Seasons_(Furyu_juni_-_(MeisterDrucke-1279428).jpg)
.jpg "The Courtesan Takigawa of the Ogiya with Her Attendants Onami and Menami, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "Women by an Iris Pond, 1785 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "A Young Nobleman, His Mother, and Three Servants, from the series")
.jpg)
.jpg "Passengers in a Ferry Boat on the Sumida River, 1784 by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Echigoya on New Year")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Courtesan Senzan of Chojiya Strolling with her Kamuro Yasono and Yasoji and Two Shinzo by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Actors Ichikawa Yaozo III as Shiragiku, Ichikawa Danjuro V as the puppeteer Dekurokubei, and Sawamura Sojuro III as Soga no Juro, in the joruri")
.jpg)
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1285272).jpg "Shitaya, from the series")
_-_(MeisterDrucke-1285272).jpg)
.jpg "Entertainment on a Balcony by the Water at Nakasu, from the series, A Collection of Beautiful Modern Women of the Pleasure Quarters by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Actors Azuma Tozo III and Otani Tokuji, from a Pentaptych of Eleven Actors Celebrating the Festival of the Shrine of the Soga Brothers by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
.jpg "The Actor Ichikawa Danjuro V and his family, from an untitled series of four prints showing Actors in private life by Torii Kiyonaga")
.jpg)
+43 4257 29415
support@meisterdrucke.com
Mo-Do: 7:00 - 16:00 | Fr: 7:00 - 13:00
