Katsukawa Shunsen

Signatures of Katsukawa Shunsen reading from left to right: “Shunsen ga” (春扇 画),“Katsukawa Shunsen ga” (勝川 春扇 画), and “Shunkō” (春好)

In this Japanese name, the surname is Katsukawa.

Katsukawa Shunsen (勝川 春扇), who is also known as Shunkō II, was a designer of books and ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints. He was born in 1762 and designed prints from about 1805 to about 1821. He initially studied with the Rimpa school artist Tsutsumi Tōrin III. In 1806 or 1807, Shunsen became a student of Katsukawa Shun'ei, and changed his name from “Kojimachi Shunsen” to “Katsukawa Shunsen”. In 1820 he succeeded Katsukawa Shunkō I, becoming Katsukawa Shunkō II. In the late 1820s, he ceased producing woodblock prints and devoted himself to painting ceramics. He died about 1830.

Shunsen is best known for his genre scenes, landscapes, and prints of beautiful women.

Gallery

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  Untitled woodblock print of carp fishing

References

• Lane, Richard. (1978). Images from the Floating World, The Japanese Print. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192114471; OCLC 5246796
• Newland, Amy Reigle. (2005). Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints. Amsterdam: Hotei. ISBN 9789074822657; OCLC 61666175
  • Roberts, Laurance P. (1976). A Dictionary of Japanese Artists. New York: Weatherhill. ISBN 9780834801134; OCLC 2005932