Utagawa Toyokuni (1769-1825) was born in Edo, the son of Kurohashi Gorobei, a carver of dolls and puppets, including replicas of Kabuki actors.  He became a pupil of Toyoharu, the first head of the Utagawa house at about the age of 14.  Toyokuni produced a mastery, and then a synthesis of his masters’ styles, and eventually created a style of his own.  He was known mostly for his prints related to the Kabuki theatre, in particular his actor portraits, although he also produced bijin-ga.

In his actor prints the real subject is portrayed without exaggeration. The prints show actors in the process of acting.  This made Toyokuni's prints more popular among theatre-goers.  As his popularity grew in the year 1803 through 1817, his work became more static.

Toyokuni was the most prominent and one of the most commercially successful artist of the Utagawa school; his large output of prints of actors and figure-studies was enormous, and he captured the world around him with great clarity. He had two major pupils, Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, but also had a large number of students under him.

This print is from the series Yakusha Mitate Kagami (Mirrors of Actors in Fanciful Transformations). Title: Mother Sewing and Daughter Playing with a Doll: Portraits of the actor Matsumoto Koshiro V in the role of Obiya Choemon in the framed picture and in the print on the floor The print depicts a young girl holding a doll who idolizes the celebrated actor Matsumoto Koshiro V.
Publisher: Nishimura Yohazhi (Eijudo), Edo.

The image on the left is titled: The Actor Iwai Kumesaburo VI as Shizuka-gozen. The kabuki play Yoshitsune Senbon-zkura (The Warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune; One Thousand Cherry Trees), performed at the Nakamura-za theatre from the 5th day of the 5th month, 1820. The print is probably the center sheet of a triptych.
Publisher: Yamahide, Edo

To the right is: Ide no Tamagawa, in Yamashiro Province: A youth accompanied by a female companion carries a young lady on his back fording the Tama river in Ide.  From the series: Mutamagawa (The Six Tama Rivers) Mutmagawa, the "Six Tama Rivers," are called Tama rivers situated in different provinces. Each river is associated with a classical poem. Mutamagawa was popular artistic theme. The three figures in this print are crossing the Tama river in Ide, Yamashiro province.  The "Six Tama Rivers" are located in: Chofu, Musashi province; Ide, Yamshiro province; Koya, Kii province; Kinuta, Settsu province; Chidori, Mutsu province; Hagi, Omi province. The print is a modern woodblock print reproduction probably produced in the 1920-30.
Publisher: Takasu Soshichi, Edo (the original publication)

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