Utagawa TOYOKUNI I (1769-1825), "Actor with a lantern."

Color woodcut, Edo period,
oban, 37 x 25.5 cm,
Signed l.d.: Toyokuni ga,
publisher: Izumi-ya Ichibei (Sen-Ichi),
censor's stamp: kiwame.
Preserved condition: woodcut in 4 corners glued to thin cardboard.

Prominent artist of Japanese color woodcuts, master of ukiyo-e, known for his prints depicting kabuki theater actors. Active in Edo, he belonged to the Utagawa school, which he headed after the death of his master and also the school's founder, Toyoharu. He himself trained many artists. In addition to portraits of actors, he is the author of woodcuts depicting warriors, beautiful women (bijinga) and erotic scenes (shunga).