Famous Ukiyo-e Artists — Top 39 List

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Kawanabe Kyōsai 1831–1889

Japanese b. Koga Ukiyo-e, Caricature, Manga pioneer Wikipedia 10/32

Kawanabe Kyōsai entered the world in 1831 in Koga, born into a samurai family. This early shock preceded a formal education under the masters of the Kanō school and Utagawa Kuniyoshi. He moved to Edo, where his father joined the official firefighters of the Shogunate, and there, Kyōsai began to develop a persona that would define his career.

Trained by Utagawa Kuniyoshi #6

12/ 39

Keisai Eisen 1790–1848

Japanese b. Edo Bunsei Era Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 15/32

In the vibrant, flickering light of 19th-century Edo, few artists captured the pulse of the "floating world" with as much evocative intensity as Keisai Eisen. This shift defined the aesthetic of the Bunsei era (1818–1830), a period often characterized by its decadent and psychologically complex atmosphere. In works such as his depictions of Fukaya Station or Ageo Station, he transformed mere topographical records into cinematic snapshots of life in motion.

13/ 39

Utagawa Toyokuni I 1769–1825

Japanese b. Shiba Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 13/32

Unlike some artists blessed with immediate, innate talent, Toyokuni appears to have been a dedicated student, meticulously absorbing the techniques and aesthetics of those who preceded him.

Trained Utagawa Kunimasa #15, Utagawa Kunisada #9, Utagawa Kuniyoshi #6, Utagawa Toyokuni II #35

14/ 39

Hiroshige I, Utagawa & Kiemon, Tsuruya 1797–1858

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e

15/ 39

Utagawa Kunimasa 1773–1810

Japanese b. Aizuwakamatsu Utagawa School

He served as a vital link in the evolution of Japanese printmaking, helping to refine the stylistic language that would later be perfected by masters like Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.

16/ 39

Nishikawa Sukenobu 1671–1750

Japanese b. Kyoto Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 9/32

Beyond his celebrated prints, Sukenobu produced an impressive array of paintings encompassing kimono patterns, samurai portraits, illustrations of classical literature, and landscapes.

17/ 39

Sharaku

Japan ukiyo-e Wikipedia 19/32

His portraits are noted for their ability to capture the psychology of a character through heightened theatrical gestures and expressive, almost caricature-like exaggerations.

18/ 39

Utashige

Japanese Ukiyo-e

This quiet revolution – a departure from the more flamboyant styles of his predecessors – established Hiroshige as a uniquely sensitive and poetic artist, whose work continues to inspire awe and contemplation centuries later.

19/ 39

Miyagawa Chōshun 1683–1753

Japanese b. Miyagawa Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 9/32

His subjects—often the elegant courtesans of the pleasure districts—were depicted with a fuller, more voluptuous grace than the slender, stylized figures seen in the works of later artists like Harunobu.

20/ 39

Goyō Hashiguchi 1880–1921

Dutch b. Kagoshima Post-Impressionism

In 1907 he won recognition for an ukiyo-e oil painting in the first Bunten show, but felt unfulfilled by public acceptance and returned to woodblock printing.

21/ 39

Isoda Koryūsai 1735–1790

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 10/32

In the vibrant, bustling heart of the Edo period, a golden age of Japanese creativity, few names resonate with as much elegance and prolific energy as Isoda Koryūsai. Born in 1735 in the burgeoning metropolis of Tokyo—then known as Edo—Koryūsai was a man shaped by the dualities of his era.

22/ 39

Ogata Gekko 1859–1920

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e, Nihonga Wikipedia 9/32

His most celebrated series, “One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji” (1896-1905), exemplifies his mastery.

23/ 39

Kobayashi Kiyochika 1847–1915

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e, Kōsen-ga Wikipedia 10/32

Born in Tokyo in 1847, amidst the waning days of Edo-period Japan, Kobayashi Kiyochika emerged as a pivotal figure in the nation’s artistic transition. Initially aligned with the Tokugawa Shogunate, he skillfully navigated the political upheaval following the Restoration, ultimately finding his voice as an artist documenting the new Japan. His series of prints created during and after the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) are particularly noteworthy.

Trained by Kawanabe Kyōsai #11

24/ 39

Adachi Ginko born 1853

Japanese Ukiyo-e

In the vibrant, transformative era of the late Meiji period, few artists captured the shifting soul of Japan as vividly as Adachi Ginkō. Born in 1853, a time when the traditional structures of the Edo period were beginning to yield to the rapid modernization of the West, Ginkō emerged as a master of the Ukiyo-e tradition.

25/ 39

Toyohara Chikanobu 1838–1912

Japanese Shin-hanga

In the twilight of the Edo period and the dawn of a modernizing Japan, few artists captured the profound tension between tradition and transformation as masterfully as Toyohara Chikanobu.

26/ 39

Utagawa Toyohiro 1773–1828

Japanese b. Toyooka Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 8/32

In the vibrant tapestry of the Edo period, few names resonate with the quiet elegance and technical mastery of Utagawa Toyohiro. Born as Okajima Tōjiro in Toyooka, Japan, this distinguished artist emerged as a pivotal figure within the renowned Utagawa school.

Trained Utagawa Hiroshige #2

27/ 39

Mizuno Toshikata 1866–1908

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e, Kuchi-e

Unlike the often-dramatic compositions favored by Yoshitoshi, Toshikata's works are imbued with an understated elegance and a profound sense of sentimentality. Several notable works by Mizuno Toshikata can be found in prestigious collections, including those at the Keio University Library and the Meiji Jingu Forest Festival of Art.

28/ 39

Ishikawa Toyonobu 1711–1785

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e (Lacquer Print Art) Wikipedia 7/32

Among them stands Nishimura Shigenobu, also known as Ishikawa Toyonobu (1711–1785), a figure whose work embodies both the elegance and subtle sensuality characteristic of early ukiyo-e. He is often considered to have been the same person as Nishimura Shigenobu, a contemporary artist and student of Nishimura Shigenaga. Toyonobu’s artistic education began under the tutelage of Nishimura Shigenaga, a pupil of the renowned Okumura Masanobu.

29/ 39

Kogyo Sakamaki 1869–1927

Japanese Noh Theatre Prints

His prints continue to be studied by scholars and admired by collectors alike, serving as invaluable documents of Noh theatre’s cultural history and embodying the artistic ideals of the Meiji era—a testament to Sakamaki’s enduring legacy as a master of ukiyo-e and a poet of Japanese tradition.

30/ 39

Hokkei 1780–1850

b. Tokyo Wikipedia 8/32

The Tale of Genji, considered one of the greatest works of Japanese literature, depicts the complex lives and romantic entanglements within the Heian court.

Trained by Katsushika Hokusai #1

31/ 39

Sadatora

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e

Born around 1825 in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, Sadatora was more than just a practitioner of woodblock printing; he was a poet of the atmospheric and the transient.

32/ 39

Utagawa Yoshitora

His artistic journey unfolded under several names – Ichimōsai Yoshitora, Kinchōrō Yoshitora, and Mosai Yoshitora – a practice not uncommon among ukiyo-e artists who adopted different art names throughout their careers to mark stylistic shifts or periods of production.

33/ 39

Toyohara Kunichika 1835–1900

Japanese b. Edo Ukiyo-e (Yakusha-e, Bijinga) Wikipedia 10/32

34/ 39

Utagawa Kunisada Ii 1823–1880

Japanese b. Tokyo Ukiyo-e (yakusha-e) Wikipedia 6/32

35/ 39

Utagawa Toyokuni II 1777–1835

Japanese Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 4/32

Hiroshige's fame rests largely upon his monumental Tokaido series (1830–1832), a meticulously planned depiction of the 67 stations along Japan’s ancient pilgrimage route from Edo to Kyoto.

Trained by Utagawa Toyokuni I #13

36/ 39

Utagawa Yoshitaki 1841–1899

Japanese b. Osaka Ukiyo-e Wikipedia 4/32

His skillful use of shading and perspective created an illusion of depth and movement, effectively capturing the theatricality of the Kabuki stage.

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Utagawa Kunitsuna Ii, Ichiransai, Sadashige

Japanese Ukiyo-e

Pinpointing Kunitsuna’s artistic lineage proves challenging due to the limited documentation surrounding his early career.

38/ 39

Utagawa Yoshikazu

Japanese b. Edo Ukiyo-e, Yokohama-e Wikipedia 3/32

He demonstrated a particular mastery of capturing textures and materials, from the sheen of Western fabrics to the rough surfaces of Japanese buildings. Among Yoshikazu’s most celebrated works are prints like “ American Family Print ” (1861) and “ Modern Ups and Downs Contests: Yokohama Merchants Referee (between) Entertainers and Non-workers,” which vividly portray the social dynamics of Yokohama during this period.

Trained by Utagawa Kuniyoshi #6

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Shunkōsai Hokushū

Japanese b. Osaka Kamigata-e Wikipedia 3/32

The Osaka Style Emerges: Unlike the Edo-period’s dominant trend of producing prints in Tokyo, Hokuchō remained firmly rooted in Osaka. Osaka’s Artistic Landscape: Hokuchō's artistic output reflects Osaka’s position as a center of theatrical culture during the early 19th century.

Trained by Katsushika Hokusai #1