About the artist
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892), the final and arguably the most ingenious proponent of traditional ukiyo-e, had his roots in the concluding years of the Tokogawa Shogunate but spent most of his life amidst the Meiji era's modernity. He was deeply influenced by Western art, yet fought to preserve Japan's unique cultural values through his art, aiming to evoke a sense of identity among his fellow Japanese. His unique talent for capturing personalities and moments and his innovative approach to composition and line art stood out in the world of ukiyo-e and beyond.
In his early years, he studied under the mentorship of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, exposing him to some of the most creative minds of the 19th century. Yoshitoshi went by the pen name "Ikkaisai" or "Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi" until 1873 but beyond that time he opted for "Taisō".
