MORE CHIKANOBU - Women PRACTISING WITH NAGINATA
Hashimoto Naoyoshi also knwon as Yoshitsuru Yooshuu and Toyohara Chikanobu unlike some better known ukiyo-e artists was an actual samurai who had fought in battles and was involved in the final rebellions against the Meiji Regime.
As part of his education as well as military training he had studied Kano style and techniques.
He moved to Tokyo and became an ukiyo-e print artist / designer in his middle years studying the styles of Eisen Kuniyoshi and Kunisada.
There is a certain element of nostalgia in this and possibly of fantasy.
Its quite possible Chikanobu would have seen female relatives practising with naginata but whether they wore such colorful kimono with purple dye that bright ... Bijin were one of his themes but he was noted for battle scenes too. He did a whole series of prints illustrating a lifestyle that was disappearing during his life time. More next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment