Mattia Jona, Master Drawings and Prints, Japanese Prints - Piazzetta Guastalla 5, 20122 Milan, Italy, tel (+39) 02 8053315

KATSUKAWA SHUNSHO (1726 - 1792) THE ACTOR MATSUMOTO KOSHIRO IV
Woodcut, signed 'Shunsho ga'. Very good impression, fairly good colours; rubbed, creases, centerfold, bottom right corner made up. 'Hosoban' 298 x 142 mm .

The founder and the leading artist of the Katsukawa school, Shunsho studied under the painter Miyagawa Shunsui and as a printmaker he learned much from the colour harmonies of Harunobu and Shigemasa. In his special field, the actor print, he soon overshadowed the hitherto dominant Torii School. However, Shunsho also painted and designed wonderful images of beautiful women. Among his students were the famous ukiyo-e artists Shuncho, Shunei, and Hokusai.