Utagawa Toyokuni I

Utagawa Toyokuni I was born in 1769 in Shiba Shinmei Mishimacho (present-day Minato Ward, Tokyo) and died in 1825. He was an Edo-period ukiyo-e artist. His real name was Kurahashi Kumakichi, later Kumaemon, and his art name was Ichiyosai. He became a pupil of Utagawa Toyoharu, the founder of the Utagawa school.

In 1794 he won fame with the series "Portraits of Actors on Stage," which depicted actors in full length, and afterward he continued to dominate popularity with his distinctive likeness-style actor prints. He extended into beauty prints as well, and became a home for the demand left after the death of Kitagawa Utamaro.

He had many talented pupils, including Kunimasa, Kunisada, Kunitora, and Kuniyoshi, and from Toyokuni's studio came one artist after another who would carry the ukiyo-e world of later years. The ukiyo-e world came to be dominated by artists of the Utagawa school. His works include "Cherry Blossom Scenery in the New Yoshiwara."