Okumura Masanobu (奥村 政信, 1686 – March 13, 1764) was a Japanese print designer, book publisher, and painter. He also illustrated novelettes and in his early years wrote some fiction. At first his work adhered to the Torii school, but later drifted beyond that. He is a figure in the formative era of ukiyo-e doing early works on actors and bijinga "beautiful women."
Contents |
Okumura Masanobu was born in 1686 in Japan. His original name is Okumura Shinmyo. He was like any normal child was in his early adolescent life, however, as he grew older there was something noticeably different that made him stand out. He discovered the talent of artistry and at age 13 he was sent away to Edo Castle to become the main artist. As an artist there, he painted portraits for the court that consisted of shogun Tokugawa Tsunavoshi. There is little information about Masanobu’s childhood and family life however; records show that he became a published artist by the age of fifteen years old. He lived by the idea of being a self-taught artist; however, he did start out studying the works of Torii Kiyonobu. Kiyonobu is where Okumura Masanobu developed his love for Ukiyo-e and woodblock printing2. To this day, the Ukiyo-e school that Torii founded is still educating and working. It is actually the only known ukiyo-e school left still functioning. When Masanobu’s art started getting recognized, he changed his name again and also went by Genpachi. Genpachi is Okumura Masanobu’s common name that he used often. Besides from being an artist, in 1724 Okumura Masanobu became a publisher. He would publish illustrated and non illustrated books on the side of creating art pieces. Not only did he publish, he became an author and wrote fiction novels2. The writer that greatly influenced him into being a writer/illustrator was; Nishikawa Sukenobu. Okumura Masanobu lived his life to create beautiful and meaningful pieces of art, which he successfully accomplished.
Okumura Masanobu created his pieces of works during the Edo period in Japan. Most of them were finished in the early Edo Period around the 1720s. This period greatly influenced Masanobu’s style. The Edo period also showed through his work by painting and drawing about the courtesans; the complications of the spiritual and social roles were often recognized4. He knew how to pull in what was happening in the outside world and depicts it through his art. Masanobu was a very clever man and wanted his art work to reflect what he believes in and stands for. He was one of the most famous and inspiring artists of the Edo period.
Okumura Masanobu is said to be master of the Urushi-e style. Urushi-e is usually done on woodblocks and has thick black lines. Styles of Urushi-e can be found in many works from Okumura Masanobu but the most famous examples would be; Large Perspective View of the Interior of Echigo-ya in Suruga-chô, Actor holding folders, Actor as Wakanoura Osana Komachi, Actors Ôtani Hiroji and Sodesaki Iseno, and Lion, Peonies, and Rock. All of these works have dark, think lines and are made on woodblocks. His works are also famous for his gentile and flowing lines he uses throughout his drawings. He also has a reoccurring pattern throughout his works consisting of tan backgrounds and neutral coloring. His pieces capture things and or people in motion. His objects in the drawings are always in mid motion of walking somewhere or doing something; definitely not pictures of still drawings. Masanobu was also famous for capturing the beauty of nature. He would paint/draw; birds, women, men, actors, and warriors. The style of the Japanese women he draws in his pieces all have the same style and ‘boneless’ structure. The face is showing, however, the bodies are covered up by long flowing dresses. This style is referred to as Tan-e, which means he draws women as full bodied and round6. The tan-e style brings a sense of gentleness to the beauties and gracefulness. Okumura Masanobu’s art works also consist of the insights of stores and theatres. These pieces are large-scare and referred to as; uki-e. Uki-e is a style used by Japanese artists that means “looming picture” 2. He was very good at capturing the luxury and leisure of his paintings on theatre. He also played around and experimented with all kinds of styles on woodprints and was always willing to learn more. By experimenting, he created and said to be the first artist to make pillar prints. Okumura is also said to be the creator of the large wide, vertical sized prints referred to as habahiro hashira-e, also2. Many of his scripts are examples of this style of print. Masanobu was known for staying true to his time and what he was good at. He created many new styles that are still being used today and without him; art wouldn’t be the same2.
Okumura Masanobu created many pieces of art work. The ‘Large Perspective Picture of a Second-Floor Parlor in the New Yoshiwara, Looking Toward the Embankment’ is one of his most famous pieces and uses European one-point perspective. This was created during 1745 and made on woodblock with hand colored scenes. The piece shows the inside of a building where many Japanese people are walking around or sitting. Another work of art that closely resembles the first work of art is ‘Large Perspective View of the Interior of Echigo-ya in Suruga-cho’. This was created in the Edo period about 1745, and made with ink on paper on woodblocks. The color used was hand-applied and used nikawa. This picture focuses on the inside on a Japanese building and the actions of many men and women. Masanobu captures the essence of everyday life in his large perspective pieces because they are simply an insight of normal actions through an imaginary see-through wall. Apart from Masanobu’s perspective drawings, he also drew Japanese women. In his piece labeled, ‘Actor as Wakanoura Osana Komachi’ there is a Japanese man holding a book and wearing a long kimono. The man has a ‘boneless’ structure, meaning he has no real body definition to him. This drawing can be found at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. Another drawing that closely resembles the previous drawing is called, ‘Actor Holding Folders.’ This drawing is done with; ink on paper, hand applied coloring, and nikawa. It was also created during the Edo period in 1723 and again follows the ‘boneless’ structure of a human being by only seeing the face and then followed with the long flowing kimono. Masanobu continued this style of drawing people throughout his lifetime1.
Okumura Masanobu died in 1764 in Japan. He has created over a hundred works of art including; paintings, drawings, woodblocks, and books. He will be remembered as the master of urushi-e and one of the firsts to use Western perspectives on art1. Okumura was very proud of his work and his talents. His art works can be found in; the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, and The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Norton Simon Museum, Tokyo National Museum, Cleveland Museum of Art, Harvard University Museums, and The British Museum. To this day, there are 21 pieces from Masanobu’s art collections being shown at art museums across the world. He was and still is one of the most inspirational artists of his time and continues to motivate aspiring artists. With his style of work and his long run career he will be in art history forever and used to educate people around the world. There’s not much known about Okumura Masanobu, however, his works of art can explain a lot of who he was.
3