Kuniyoshi & Yoshitoshi

I went to the Ukiyo-e exhibition held at the Museum of Kyoto from February 26th. “Challenging Ukiyoe from Kuniyoshi to Yoshitoshi”.

The composition of Kuniyoshi’s paintings surprises the viewer. The appearance of the youkai is lovely.

Since ancient times, the Japanese have a sensibility to give the universe a personality. Kuniyoshi also draws fish and spiders as if they had human-like facial expressions and actions.

Yoshitoshi Tsukioka, one of Kuniyoshi’s disciples, is a genius. While inheriting the charm of his master’s paintings, he has sublimated into his unique world view.

Yoshitoshi’s portrait is especially good. It captures the moment when a person is most beautiful and realistic. The still image has a unique loneliness and fragility. He is a genius who can beautifully express loneliness and suffering rather than happiness.

By the way, Yoshitoshi is also good at cruel painting. I would like to introduce it again in the future.

（The image introduced is a part of the work.）