Gift of John A. Welsh III, Class of 1959

Utagawa Kunisada was a printmaker and designer. He studied with Utagawa Toyokuni and headed the Utagawa School after his mentor’s death in 1825. His woodblock prints explored traditional ukiyo-e subjects and themes, including Kabuki Theater, samurai, erotica, and sumo wrestling. Kunisada achieved widespread popularity quickly in his career, becoming one of the most successful artists of his lifetime, and credited with creating over 20,000 designs over the course of his life.