Tsukioka Yoshitoshi(1839-1892) was an artist of Japanese paintings, taught by Ichiyusai or Utagawa Kuniyoshi.
He created modern ukiyo-e depicting warriors, actors and beauties and many sensational pieces. Since circa 1873, he created art pieces with unique drawing techniques based on timely topics.
His drawing technique depicting a moving motion as a stop motion can also be found in modern Manga cartoons, thus some people call him as a pioneering cartoonist.
Today, We introduce to you his outstanding works "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon
(Tsuki Hyakushi)"
He took seven years to complete this great artwork consisted of 100 pieces.
Here depicted is “Chika”, a ground-daughter of Zeniya Gohei who was running a money exchange shop in Kaga (present Kanazawa Pref.) in the Edo period. Gohei launched a business on the reclamation works in his later years, but opposite people spread a bad rumor on him in connection to an accident caused by a contaminated fish, and he was put in a jail despite not guilty and died behind the bars. Chika kept protesting his grand-father’s innocence and visited the shrine for prayer every night which harmed his health. She seemed to have passed away at 26.
Chika in the piece shown wears a sad expression. Her loose clothes might suggest her short life.
You can check other items of One Hundred Aspects of the Moon here.
Please visit our site!
