Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Japanese, 1797–1861
Kuniyoshi, who's legal name as an adult was Igusa Magosaburō, was born and bred in the city of Edo and was proud of his background as a chōnin and an Edokko ("child of Edo"). His father was said to have been a textile designer, a fact that might account for Kuniyoshi's love of bright colors and ornate patterns in his print designs. Around 1811, Kuniyoshi became an apprentice in the studio of Utagawa Toyokuni (1769–1825). Within a few years, the young apprentice was recognized as an artist in his own right and received the art name Kuniyoshi.
