of his father, manipulating it in flowing contours and with considerable spirit. As to his biography, see Fenollosa's Outline; he is mentioned as an artist as early as 1683, and was called Kichiza-yemon in ordinary life.[1] A book of dress patterns, with eighty-four plates, dated 1700, is his work. Reproduction in Hayashi Cat., No. 185.
Fenollosa (Outline) mentions Furuyama Moroshige as one of the best of Moronobu's pupils (like him he was also a painter), and suggests that he may have been the master of Kiyonaga.[2] Books illustrated by him date from the years 1692 and 1698. Frau Straus-Negbaur, in Frankfort-on-the-Main, possesses one of his prints.[3] A further pupil of Moronobu was Sugimura Masataka, who painted about 1700.[4] A book of 1684 contains magnificent illustrations by him, which are in no way inferior to the best work of the master himself. Another book of his was published at Kioto in 17 16.
Two contemporaries of Moronobu were Hasegawa Toun, who edited the collection of legends called Yehon hokan in 1688, and Ishikawa Riusen, who illustrated country life in Yamato kosaku gwasho. Riusen is already found mentioned side by side with Moronobu as a celebrated artist. An illustrated book by him appeared in Yedo between 1692-96. A sheet dated 1714 is in the Hayashi Catalogue (No. 187). A sheet done by Ishikawa Riushu, a pupil of Riusen, is illustrated in the same catalogue (No. 188). Mention is further made about 1700 of the painter Wowo[5] who worked for wood-engravings as late as the period of Kioho (1716-35). Other illustrators are: Kawashima Shigenobu (1683), Kichi (1700), Yoshimura
- ↑ Tokio Cat., p. 14.
- ↑ Ibid., p. 13.
- ↑ A follower of Moroshige was Furuyama Moromasa, who lived in the period of Horeki (1751-63)—at a very much later date, that is to say (Tokio Cat., p. 13). An illustration in the Hayashi Cat. (No. 186) represents a scene in a tea-house, in large broadside folio.
- ↑ Tokio Cat., p. 15.
- ↑ Ibid., p. 14.
