ABSTRACT
Utamaro’s principal rival, particularly towards the end of his career, was Toyokuni, the chief pupil of Toyoharu. Toyokuni’s early work consists mostly of studies of women, thus following the style of Utamaro. After the death of the latter he turned his attention to actors, and at one time was looked upon as the actor painter of Japan. After Utamaro’s death, however, he confined himself to large actor-portraits almost entirely, and from this date his work began to deteriorate, his actors eventually becoming little better than caricatures, with their exaggerated features, squint-eyed, long-nosed, and wry-mouthed, exaggerations which were carried to repulsiveness by his pupil, Kunisada. Yeizan has already been referred to as a rival and imitator of Utamaro. Taken all round, however, Yeizan deserves a higher place amongst the Ukiyoye artists than he is generally given.
