Eishōsai Chōki ( ja, 栄松斎 長喜), also known as Momokawa Chōki, was a designer of
ukiyo-e
Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surfac ...
style
Japanese woodblock prints
Woodblock printing in Japan (, ''mokuhanga'') is a technique best known for its use in the ''ukiyo-e'' artistic genre of single sheets, but it was also used for printing books in the same period. Widely adopted in Japan during the Edo period (160 ...
who was active from about 1786 to 1808. He, along with
Utamaro
Kitagawa Utamaro ( ja, 喜多川 歌麿; – 31 October 1806) was a Japanese artist. He is one of the most highly regarded designers of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings, and is best known for his ''bijin ōkubi-e'' "large-headed ...
, was a pupil of
Toriyama Sekien 200px, A Mikoshi-nyūdō, specifically a Miage-nyūdō, as portrayed by Toriyama">Miage-nyūdō.html" ;"title="Mikoshi-nyūdō, specifically a Miage-nyūdō">Mikoshi-nyūdō, specifically a Miage-nyūdō, as portrayed by Toriyama
, real name Sano ...
(1712–1788). Chōki is best known for his pictures of beautiful slender women (''
bijin-ga
is a generic term for pictures of beautiful women () in Japanese art, especially in woodblock printing of the ukiyo-e genre.
Definition
defines as a picture that simply "emphasizes the beauty of women", and the ''Shincho Encyclopedia of W ...
''), often with atmospheric backgrounds.
The artist signed most of his works Chōki (), he also signed some work Eishōsai () or Shikō ().
Life and career
The details of Chōki's life are obscure. He was likely a student—and possibly
an adopted son—of
Toriyama Sekien 200px, A Mikoshi-nyūdō, specifically a Miage-nyūdō, as portrayed by Toriyama">Miage-nyūdō.html" ;"title="Mikoshi-nyūdō, specifically a Miage-nyūdō">Mikoshi-nyūdō, specifically a Miage-nyūdō, as portrayed by Toriyama
, real name Sano ...
. Chōki specialized in depicting beautiful women and had a number of art names: works signed Chōki were in the style similar to that of
Kiyonaga
Torii Kiyonaga ( ja, 鳥居 清長; 1752 – June 28, 1815) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the Torii school. Originally Sekiguchi Shinsuke, the son of an Edo bookseller, from Motozaimokuchō Itchōme in Edo, he took on Torii Kiyonaga as an ...
, and those signed Shikō that of
Utamaro
Kitagawa Utamaro ( ja, 喜多川 歌麿; – 31 October 1806) was a Japanese artist. He is one of the most highly regarded designers of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings, and is best known for his ''bijin ōkubi-e'' "large-headed ...
.
Chōki lived in the home of publisher
Tsutaya Jūzaburō
Tsutaya Jūzaburō ( ja, 蔦屋 重三郎; 13 February 1750 – 31 May 1797) was the founder and head of the Tsutaya publishing house in Edo, Japan, and produced illustrated books and ukiyo-e woodblock prints of many of the perio ...
, who published several of Chōki's print series. Amongst Chōki's more popular series were the ''Eight Views of Lake Ōmi'' (''Ōmi hakkei'') and the ''Eight Views of the Treasury of Loyal Retainers'' (''Chūshingura hakkei''). He also produced ''
hashira-e
Hashira-e (柱絵) or Pillar prints are Japanese woodblock prints usually measuring about 13cm x 73cm (4.5 in. by 28 in.).
They were originally intended to be hung upon, or pasted onto, wooden pillars inside Japanese houses. They probably serve ...
'' pillar prints, ''
kachō-e'' prints of birds and flowers, and book illustrations. His last known work is the illustrations for the book ''Nakoso Gate'' (''Nakoso no seki'') by
Kanwatei Onitake in 1809.
Gallery
Chôki_-_Most_Splendid_Entertainment_of_the_Niwaka_Festival_in_the_Licensed_Quarters.jpg, ''Most Splendid Entertainment of the Niwaka Festival in the Licensed Quarters''
Eishosai Choki - The Courtesan Tsuruno-o of the Tsuruya Brothel with her Attendants, 1795-1801.jpg, ''The Courtesan Tsuruno-o of the Tsuruya Brothel with her Attendants''
Eishosai Choki - The Courtesan Hinazuru of the Chojiya Brothel with her Kamuro Tsuruji and Tsuruno and Two Unidentified Shinzo.jpg, ''The Courtesan Hinazuru of the Chojiya Brothel with her Kamuro Tsuruji and Tsuruno and Two Unidentified Shinzo''
Eishosai Choki - Cat's Cradle.jpg, ''Cat's Cradle''
Brooklyn Museum - New Years Parade of the Beauties of the Green Houses - Eishusai Choki.jpg, ''New Years Parade of the Beauties of the Green Houses''
Examples of Chôki's signature- Chôki ga (left) and Shikô hitsu (right).jpg, The artist's signature: "Chōki ''ga''" ''(left)'' and "Shikō ''hitsu''" ''(right)''
References
Works cited
*
Further reading
* Hiller, Jack (1960) "Choki: What is a Minor Artist?". In: ''The Japanese Print: A New Approach'', Rutland, Tuttle. 94–101.
*
Lane, Richard. (1978). ''Images from the Floating World, The Japanese Print''. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
OCLC 5246796* Newland, Amy Reigle. (2005). ''Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints''. Amsterdam: Hotei.
OCLC 61666175
* Roberts, Laurance P. (1976). ''A Dictionary of Japanese Artists''. New York: Weatherhill.
OCLC 2005932
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eishosai, Choki
Ukiyo-e artists
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing