Utagawa Kunimaro (1794-1875) Japanese, Woodblock Print. Depicts two women hard at work. 

Condition: Commensurate with age. 

Overall: 20 1/2 x 16 1/4 in. 

Sight: 14 x 9 1/2 in. 

#5032 . 

Utagawa Kunimaro (sometimes written as Kunimaru, or simply Kunimaro I) was born in 1794. Almost nothing is known of his early life, but he was a pupil of both Utagawa Kunisada and Utagawa Toyokuni I. He is said to have originally been a pupil of Utagawa Sadafusa, who likely first introduced him to his own master, Kunisada. His original surname was Kikukoshi, and his secular name was Kikutaro. As was the custom with ukiyo-e artists, he used the surname of his master, Utagawa, and was originally called Fusahiro before later adopting the name Kunimaro. Scholars have discovered several other pseudonyms by the artist, some only used once or twice, which was more rare for the time: these include Ichiensai, Shochoro, Kirakusai, Maromaru, Maromaru Injin, and a name that literally translates to “pupil of Matahei.” He painted from the late Tenpo period to the early Meiji period, and left behind illustrations for printed books and illustrations for sugoroku. Although he was prolific and apparently appreciated in his time, respected by both other artists and many patrons, his woodblocks and prints are considered very rare, possibly because he spent much of his life devoted to creating haikai poetry (an equivalent to modern-day limericks or “vulgar” anecdotal jokes) and painted whenever he chose to, rather than as a primary means of financial support. He died in 1875.

Commensurate with age.