Utagawa Kuniyoshi: The Sorcery of an Eccentric Master

"Utagawa Kuniyoshi: The Sorcery of an Eccentric Master", an exhibition dedicated to Edo-period woodblock print artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), runs from April 24 through June 21 at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, organised by the museum together with the Yomiuri Shimbun and Chukyo TV Broadcasting.

Kuniyoshi emerged in the final generation of ukiyo-e artists during the late Edo period, bringing a boldness of composition and conceptual inventiveness that set his work apart from his contemporaries. He first gained widespread recognition through his warrior prints depicting heroes from the Chinese novel Suikoden, rendered in dynamic poses with striking use of colour. The exhibition spans the full range of his output — warrior prints, caricatures, beauties, landscapes, actor portraits, and original paintings — with approximately 400 works on display. Given the scale of the rotation, around 90 percent of works will be replaced at the midpoint: the first half runs April 24 through May 24, and the second half from May 26 through June 21.

Four thematic threads run through the exhibition. The warrior and actor prints trace Kuniyoshi's perseverance through years of obscurity and his defiance of Edo-period censorship, which banned depictions of actors and courtesans during the Tenpō Reforms. His caricatures and beauty prints showcase an unmatched affection for cats — rendered as subjects in their own right, in human guise, or as quiet companions — including a newly identified toy print, Ryūkō Neko no Henge. A third strand examines Kuniyoshi's compositional ambition, particularly his use of large triptych formats to accommodate sweeping scenes of sea creatures and giant figures that dwarf the picture plane. Finally, his gift for visual wit is explored through anthropomorphised animals, household objects, and gag compositions that retain their humour today.

A Japanese-language audio guide narrated by voice actors Natsuki Hanae — known for roles in Demon Slayer and Tokyo Ghoul — and Rie Kugimiya, known for Gintama and Fullmetal Alchemist, accompanies the exhibition. The guide features two cat characters alongside the narration.

Tickets are available through Ticket Pia, Asoview!, eplus, Lawson Ticket, and Seven Ticket.