Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815
Torii Kiyonaga
Torii Kiyonaga was an ukiyo-e artist of the mid to late Edo period. Born in Edo, he gained popularity with genre paintings of tall, slender beauties and later worked as head of the Torii school, also producing kabuki signboards.
Torii Kiyonaga was born in 1752 (Horeki 2) in Shinba, Edo. He entered the school of Torii Kiyomitsu, head of the Torii school, while still young and learned ukiyo-e, at first producing works that followed the Torii tradition. He gradually made his name with illustrations for kibyoshi books and genre paintings of beauties.
In the Tenmei era he swept the ukiyo-e world with genre paintings of tall, slender women, a style called the Kiyonaga style. Many artists, including Kitagawa Utamaro, are said to have followed his beauty paintings. His three great series, Tosei Bijin Yurigo, Fuzoku Azuma no Nishiki, and Minami Juni Ko, are especially highly regarded.
In 1787 (Tenmei 7), after his master's death, he succeeded to the position of head of the Torii school. From then on he mostly made kabuki signboards and programs, and from 1795 (Kansei 6) he hardly produced any nishiki-e. He died in Edo in 1815 (Bunka 12).
