The collection is arranged chronologically.
Accession No. RARE.2024.0065: Purchased, 2021 January
[identification of item], “Five Styles of Banzai-Ukiyoe" Woodblock Prints by Tsuruya Kokei, SPEC.RARE.MMS.0392, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
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Processed by: David Mezick, 2024 October; Finding aid written by: David Mezick, 2024 October
Tsuruya Kokei is a contemporary Japanese woodblock print artist. He was born in 1946 in the city of Chigasaki, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan as Gen Mitsu, and grew up in Tokyo. His work is inspired by ukiyoe woodblock prints. Ukiyoe (translated as “pictures of the floating world”) is a Japanese style of paintings and woodblock prints from the Edo period (1603-1868) that traditionally depicts subjects such as Kabuki actors, beautiful women and courtesans, erotica, historical events, folk tales, and landscapes. Traditionally, ukiyoe was a collaboration between the publisher, artist, woodblock carver, and printmaker, but Kokei completes each step in the process himself. Kokei started his art career creating woodblock print portraits of kabuki actors, and in 2017, began a series celebrating masters of ukiyoe. Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861), Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), and Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) are all considered masters of ukiyoe woodblock printing. They were born and lived in Edo, Japan, which is now Tokyo.
“Five Styles of Banzai-Ukiyoe” Woodblock Prints by Tsuruya Kokei, dated 2018-2020, contain color woodblock prints created by Tsuruya Kokei for his series celebrating masters of ukiyoe. Ukiyoe (translated as “pictures of the floating world”) is a style of Japanese paintings and woodblock prints from the Edo period (1603-1868). Included are prints that celebrate ukiyoe artists, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Utagawa Hiroshige, and Utagawa Kunisada.