Masanobu Okumura

An ukiyo-e artist from the mid-Edo period. He was active for a long period of about 60 years, from the Genroku period (1688-1704) until just before the birth of Nishikie, and is a representative artist of the pre-nishikie period, but there are differing theories about his birth and death years. He was popularly known as Genpachi. He also had pen names such as Hogetsudo, Tanchosai, Bunkaku, and Shinmyo. He established himself as a first-rate artist in the style of Hishikawa Moronobu and Torii Kiyonobu. In his prime, he was also influenced by Nishikawa Sukenobu of Kyoto through his printed books. He had a strong sense of pride, and never lost his desire to research and pioneer until his later years. Due to his connection with the publisher Okumuraya in Toshio-cho, he tried various ideas and published his own works. He is especially highly regarded for his creation of pillar paintings and floating prints. He was active in a wide range of genres, including portraits of beautiful women, actors, flowers and birds, and warriors, and produced many hand-painted works and prints, but his portraits of beautiful women from his early Tan-e period are particularly excellent, suppressing the sense of liveliness and evoking a gentle, plump, and kind feeling. His representative works include "Yujo Zhang Guang," "Yuiro Sanpaku Tsui," and "Tanabata." One of his disciples is Okumura Toshinobu.

[Hidetake Asano]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期の浮世絵師。元禄(げんろく)期（1688～1704）から錦絵(にしきえ)誕生直前まで約60年の長期間活躍し、前錦絵時代を代表する絵師だが、生没年については異説もある。俗称源八。芳月堂(ほうげつどう)、丹鳥斎(たんちょうさい)、文角(ぶんかく)、親妙(しんみょう)などと号す。菱川師宣(ひしかわもろのぶ)、鳥居清信風を基調に一流を確立。壮年期、版本を通じて京の西川祐信(すけのぶ)の影響も受ける。自負心が強く、晩年に至るまで研究心、開拓心を失わず、自身通塩町(とおりしおちょう)で版元奥村屋を経営した関係もあって、さまざまなくふうを試み、自ら版行した。ことに柱絵(はしらえ)、浮絵(うきえ)を創製したことは高く評価されている。美人画、役者絵、花鳥画、武者絵と幅広く活躍、肉筆画、版本も多いが、初期の丹絵(たんえ)時代の美人画はとくに優れ、生動感を抑え、柔和でふっくらとした優しさを感じさせる。代表作は『遊女張果郎』『遊色三幅つい』『七夕(たなばた)』など。門弟に奥村利信(としのぶ)がいる。

［浅野秀剛］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例