Utagawa Kuniyoshi paint

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌 川 国 芳?) (Edo, January 1, 1798 - Edo, April 14, 1861) was a Japanese painter and draftsman. He is considered to be one of the last great masters of Japanese ukiyo-e style painting and woodcut. He studied and taught at one of the most important Japanese woodblock printing schools, the Utagawa School.

The range of subjects that Kuniyoshi has portrayed throughout his life is very wide and includes landscapes, female figures, Kabuki theater actors, cats, fantastic animals and episodes from Japanese mythology. He is also known for his lively portrayal of legendary hero battles, samurai feats, episodes from Japanese history and his brightly colored erotic representations. Elements of Western inspiration in his work can be found in the landscape works and in the caricature drawings.