Tsukioka Kogyo (1869-1927) Arashiyama: The God of Mt. Arashi from Scenes from the Noh Theatre Framed Woodblock Print

Tsukioka Kogyo, Japanese (1869-1927)

Kogyo was a woodblock print artist, painter, and illustrator who brought the theatrical art of noh to life through rich, painterly colors and shimmering costumes. While he is best known for scenes of the noh stage, he also produced some war prints and nature studies. Born in Tokyo in 1869 as Hanyu (Sakamaki) Bennosuke (sometimes read Sadanosuke), Kogyo was the son of an innkeeper in the Nihonbashi district.

His interest in noh theater first began in his late 20s. At this time, the traditional theatrical art was actively redefining itself for the modern era. Shaking off its aristocratic associations, Noh expanded its audience, both to the greater public in Japan and internationally, through the visits of foreign dignitaries. As the audience of noh grew, Kogyo broke new ground in the depiction of noh subjects. Rather than foregrounding the actors’ personas, Kogyo creates a subtle sense of the stage and set to capture the fleeting moments of a live performance. By the time of Kogyo’s death in 1927, noh theater had secured a significant standing in popular culture.

Source: 

www.roningallery.com/artists/Kogyo

Overall Size: 15" x 19"

Condition: Great; Not inspected outside of frame.