EDUTAINMENT
CATEGORIES
LINKS
Edutainment > Sumo and Japanese Woodblock Prints
Sumo is one of the oldest sports in Japan with some religious roots. It has been popular since the Japanese Edo period (1603-1868) and with the exception of a few downs has never lost its popularity until our days. No wonder that Japanese printmakers jumped on the bandwagon and created woodblock prints that celebrated these popular folk heroes.
The images on this page are link-sensitive and take you to other articles or web sites in which you might be interested.
Sumo Woodblock Prints in the 18th Century
Designs of sumo wrestlers began to show up during the 18th century with designs by Moronobu, Shigenobu, Buncho and Isoda Koryusai (1735-1790). Artists like Katsukawa Shunsho (1726-1792), Shinei and Shunko refined this new genre. Later also Utamaro Kitagawa - (1750-1806), Sharaku and Choki created prints of sumo wresters and sumo fights.
Towards the end of the 18th century sumo wrestling had reached a great popularity with two exceptional wrestlers - Tanikaze Kajinosuke and Onogawa Kisaburo. These two wrestlers kept the title of Yokozuna, the highest rank among sumo wrestlers. Both men received the title in 1789. Tanikaze died in 1795 and Onogawa retired in 1797.
Sumo Woodblock Prints in the 19th Century
Japanese Prints - Home
Champion Sumo Wrestler Unsozan
copyright protected
In the 19th century it was mainly the Utagawa School under the leadership of Kunisada I and Kunisada II that was dominant in creating sumo prints. But also Kuniyoshi Utagawa made sumo designs for ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints).
Sumo Woodblock Prints from the 20th Century
The popularity of sumo for Japanese woodblock prints dwindled during the 20th century. Junichiro Sekino (1914-1988) contributed to this old genre in realistic but modern style. And in the 1980s the Japan Sumo Association had commissioned a series portraying famous, contemporary sumo wrestlers to Daimon Kinoshita, born 1946. The prints were published by Kyoto Hanga-in.
Dieter Wanczura
(August 2009)
Gallery of Sumo Prints
All Stars Sumo Wrestling - by Chikashige Morikawa active ca. 1869-82
Japanese Woodblock Prints
All Stars Sumo Wrestling
copyright protected
Sumo Fight - by Kunisada Utagawa 1786-1864
Marugame Genkai aratame Nio - by Kuniyoshi Utagawa 1797-1861
Kuniyoshi Utagawa - Biography
Marugame Genkai aratame Nio
copyright protected
First Sumo Match - Yoshitoshi Musha Burui - by Yoshitoshi Taiso 1839-1892
Yoshitoshi Tsukioka (Taiso) - Biography
First Sumo Match - Yoshitoshi Musha Burui
copyright protected
Champion Sumo Wrestler Wajima, 1978 - by Junichiro Sekino 1914-1988
Junichiro Sekino - Biography
Champion Sumo Wrestler Wajima, 1978
copyright protected
Yokozuna - by Daimon Kinoshita born 1946
Literature source used for this articles about Japanese sumo prints
- Friedrich B. Schwan, "Handbuch Japanischer Holzschnitt", 2003, IUDICIUM Verlag, Postfach 701067, D-81310 München, ISBN 3-89129-749-1
The images on this web site are the property of the artist(s) and or the artelino GmbH and/or a third company/institution. Reproduction, public display and any commercial use of these images, in whole or in part, require the expressed written consent of the artist(s) and/or the artelino GmbH. .
Saturday, November 21, 2009:
Weekly auctions of Japanese prints from the 18th to 21st century
and contemporary Chinese art prints.
artelino
art auctions since 2001.
Auctions of Japanese and Chinese prints.
Online Art Auctions
Search for sumo prints in our online auctions of Japanese and Chinese prints.
