The aim of this thesis is to recontextualize the life and work of the Japanese artist, Kawanabe Kyōsai. Kyōsai was born in Japan during the late Edo period (1603-1868) but he died in the Meiji period (1868-1912). Not only was Japan characterized by distinct periods during Kyōsai's lifetime, his personal life was as well. Current scholarship surrounding Kyōsai neglects aspects of his education and career when contextualizing the artist. By examining primary sources by the artist and those in his interpersonal circle I have concluded that Kyōsai's relationship with Utagawa Kuniyoshi had a larger impact on the man than many sources recognize; current research focuses on his relationship with the Edo Kano school or treats the artist as a man in a vacuum. Moreover, the Western research on Kyōsai is dated. The majority of secondary sources concerning Kyōsai date to the 1990s or earlier. Two decades later, my thesis collects information on Kyōsai and his lineage to introduce Kyōsai and his work to a new audience. The significance of my thesis lies in the acknowledgement of a, largely ignored, aspect of Kyōsai's inspiration. I argue that Kyōsai referred to the art of Kuniyoshi throughout his career and situated himself as Kuniyoshi's successor. I do this by delineating the biography of the artist, examining the Hell Courtesan (a pictorial subject the two artists shared), and connecting Kyōsai to Kuniyoshi's art.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 23658