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Nogaku hyakuban
One Hundred Noh Dramas

Tsukioka Kogyo has a firm place in the hall of fame of Japanese woodblock print artists. Even new collectors can recognize a typical Kogyo print easily. His style was distinctive and so were his subjects - Noh plays.

From Hanyu Sadanosuke to Tsukioka Kogyo

Kogyo was born under the real name of Hanyu Sadanosuke in Tokyo. When the young boy was fifteen years old, his mother married Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, the famous ukiyo printmaker. From his stepfather he received his new family name Tsukioka and his first lessons in Japanese printmaking.

Inspired by his famous stepfather he made his first encounters with Noh Theater. Yoshitoshi was a fan of this old Japanese theatrical form.

Later the young man became the student of another well-known print artist of the Meiji period, Ogata Gekko. Following an old Japanese tradition, he got a new first name from his teacher - Kogyo. The name game was finished and a new artist was born - Kogyo Tsukioka.

Printmaker of the Noh Theater

Nogaku Zue
Pictures of Noh Plays

There is always something a famous artist is inseparably associated with. For Kogyo it is the Noh Theater. He made quite a few nice natural prints and a few designs of the Russo-Japanese war. But his series of old traditional Japanese Noh theater are the prints that stick with him forever. They were published by Matsuki Heikichi.

The major works of Kogyo are:

• Nogaku zue - one hundred Noh pictures (1897-1902)
• Nogaku hyakuban - one hundred Noh dramas (1922-1926)

Noh theater is the more refined, kind of aristocratic form of theater - in contrast to Kabuki, the popular Japanese theater of the common people. The stage decorations in Noh theater are scarce - reduced to a minimum. The main visual attraction for the spectators are the lavish, colorful costumes.

Kogyo prints are perfect reflections of the typical Noh theater. The compositions show an actor or a group of actors against a plain background - sometimes with one or two requisites. A typical print by the artist looks more like an ink drawing, painting or watercolor than a classical ukiyo print. The style of Kogyo was influenced by his second master Ogata Gekko, who had begun as a commercial designer, illustrator and painter. The production of a Gekko or Kogyo design required very skillful engravers and printers.

Tips for Collectors

Heaven knows why, but prints by Kogyo are among those that are available for rather low prices. Their look might be too modern for a die-hard ukiyo print fan and not modern enough for collectors of modern Japanese prints.

There is nothing wrong with these prints and they are usually in good condition. The prices for art prints are also a matter of fashion trends. If you like them, go against the flow and buy them.

It makes a lot of sense, especially for unexperienced collectors, to buy prints from good artists that are not trendy. Chances to get severly "burned" are close to zero. Just compare prices. The Internet gives you a good opportunity.

Literature sources used for this Tsukioka Kogyo biography

• Helen Merritt and Nanako Yamada, "Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints: 1900-1975", published by University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, ISBN 0-8248-1732-X
• Helen Merritt, "Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints - The early years", published by University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1990, ISBN 0-8248-1200-X

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Japanese Art 20th C.