Kikuchi Yōsai

In this Japanese name, the surname is Kikuchi.

Kikuchi Yōsai
Born	Kawahara Takeyasu (河原かわはら 武たけし保ほ) (1788-11-28)28 November 1788
Died	16 June 1878(1878-06-16) (aged 89)
Occupation	Painter

Kose Kanaoka (a 9th century painter) by Kikuchi Yōsai

Kikuchi Yōsai (菊池きくち 容斎ようさい, November 28, 1788 – June 16, 1878), also known as Kikuchi Takeyasu and Kawahara Ryōhei, was a Japanese painter most famous for his monochrome portraits of historical figures.

Biography

The son of a samurai named Kawahara of Edo, he was adopted by a family named Kikuchi. When eighteen, he became a pupil of Takata Enjō; but, after studying the principles of the Kanō, Shijō, and Maruyama schools, perhaps, under Ozui, a son of Ōkyo, he developed an independent style, having some affinities with that of Tani Bunchō.

His illustrated history of Japanese heroes, the Zenken Kojitsu, is a remarkable specimen of his skill as a draughtsman in monochrome ink. In order to produce this work, and his many other portraits of historical figures, he performed extensive historical, and even archaeological, research. Zenken Kojitsu features over 500 major figures in Japanese history, and was originally printed as a series of ten woodblock printed books, in 1878.

Style

Nakane Kōtei (中根なかね 香かおり亭てい) pointed out that Yōsai modelled the form of Zenken Kojitsu (前賢ぜんけん故実こじつ) on Wanxiaotang Zhuzhuang Huachuan (晩ばん笑わらい堂どう竹荘たけしょう画が伝でん) which was drawn by the Qing illustrator Shangguan Zhou. Kōtei also said that Yōsai was influenced by Hokusai when young. He thought of the calligraphy as much as the picture when he guided a pupil.

References

• Louis, Frederic (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
• Kikuchi, Yōsai; Yamashita, Shigetami (1903). 前賢ぜんけん故實こじつ: 考證こうしょう(Zenken kojitsu: kōshō). 東陽とうよう堂どう(Tōyōdō). - facsimile of works.