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TOYOKUNI II, Utagawa (Toyoshige) (1777 - 1835)		from: Eight Famous Views ('Meisho hakkei') Returning Sails at Kanazawa: View of Nojima from Sato Bridge
		Signed:                     Toyokuni hitsu Publisher's seal:      Ise-ya Rihei Censor's seal:          kiwame Published:                1833-34 Size:                          oban yoko-e (c. 24.5 x 38 cms / c. 9 1/2" x 15") EXCELLENT impression and color; a faint centerfold mark, else in FINE condition.- A RARE work from a rare series with unusually well preserved, brillant colors. - ref. no.: # 753296 P.O.R.

TOYOKUNI II was an ukiyo-e painter, print artist and illustrator; pupil and son-in-law of Toyokuni I (1769-1825). After the death of his master he assumed the name Toyokuni II but, challenged in the succession by other followers of Toyokuni, changed his name to Toyoshige. From 1826 he signed his works Toyokuni or Kôsotei Toyokuni and, in later years, resumed use of the name Toyoshige. Richard Lane wrote that in this series Toyokuni II managed to design several prints: "... the equal of all but the finest work of his more famous contempraries; (some) ... may be favorably compared with the best of Hiroshige... One gets the strong impression that Toyokuni II might have ranked with Eisen, Kunisada and Kuniyoshi, had he been given further opportunities to develop his unique view of landscape." Reference:  Richard Lane, "Images from the Floating World"; series: pp. 338-339; no. #672.

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