Utagawa Toyoharu

Utagawa Toyoharu (歌川豊春, 1735-1814) is recognized as the founder of the Utagawa school and for his uki-e ("floating pictures," perspective views: 浮絵). Born in Toyooka, Tajima Province, in western Japan, Toyoharu first studied art in Kyoto with the Kanô painter Tsuruzawa Tangei (鶴沢探鯨 1688-1789), and later in Edo with Toriyama Seiken (鳥山石燕 1712-88). This is mentioned in the Ukiyoeshi Utagawa retsuden (Lives of the ukiyo-e Utagawa masters: 浮世絵師歌川列傳) by Ijima Kyoshin (飯島虛心 1841-1901) from 1894. On some paintings Toyoharu used a seal reading Toriyama Sekien Toyofusa monjin (Student of Toriyama Sekien Toyofusa: 鳥山石燕豊房門人). It seems that Sekien allowed his student to incorporate the character "Toyo" (豊) from his personal name (Toyofusa, 豊房) as part of his art name "Toyoharu" (豊春). Common to most ukiyo-e artists, Toyoharu had many names. His family surname was Tajimaya; his given names were Shôjirô, Shin'emon, and Masaki; his art names were Ichiryûsai, Sen'ô, Senryûsai, and Shôjirô. As for the "Utagawa" art surname, this apparently derived from Toyoharu having taken up residence in Udagawa-chô in the Shiba district of Edo. - Viewing Japanese Prints