Utagawa Kunisada

Although not revered in the West until the mid–20th century, Utagawa Kunisada was the most financially successful 19th-century Japanese artist who worked with “ukiyo-e” woodblock prints. Kunisada’s work most regularly subjected kabuki actor and sumo wrestlers, although he also produced a number of commissioned paintings. His intense skill level and outstanding ability to quickly produce large quantities of high quality prints marked him as one of the most influential artists in Japan during his lifetime and the succeeding years.