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context: painting > prints > artists
Taiso Yoshitoshi, 1839-1892
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Fujiwara no Yasumasa Playing the Flute by Moonlight |
Theo Lesoualc'h in Japanese Painting claims that he was a pupil of Utamaro; but since the latter had been dead for 33 years before Yoshitoshi was born, this seems rather unlikely. Others cite Kuniyoshi as his master, which is more plausible stylistically as well as by the fundamental laws of nature. I'm mostly including him here because I like him, but it's also to cast doubt on the usual narrative, which has Hokusai and Hiroshige as the last gasps of a decaying form - for me, Yoshitoshi is a powerful and original artist, muscular and captivating, especially in his ghost and monster pictures. The triptych shown here is as atmospheric as any vintage print I've ever seen - it reminds me a little of the gorgeous and moving conclusion of Teshigahara's sumptuous biopic movie 'Rikyu', and a little of some modern comic books (not just Japanese ones).