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- dusting and mica to his prints. Both Masanobu and Shigenaga experimented with the use of Western perspective in prints called uki-e (bird�s eye view prints). The prints of Shige- naga�s student, Toyonobu (1717-50) also shows traces of European influence. Toyo- nobo used blocks to add colours like red and green to black and white prints. This type of print is called benizuri-e.
By 1765 the art of printmaking had undergone a profound change due to the introduction of nishiki-e (brocade pictures) made with five colour blocks. The master of this new tech�nique was Harunobu (1725-1770) [4], whose work dominated Japanese printing until his death in 1770. Harunobu was prolific and designed over a thousand prints. His work is filled with brilliant harmonious colour, and he was one of the first artists to include a fully developed atmospheric background in his prints. Instead of depicting actors, he concen�trated on charming images of females in natural poses or involved with graceful pursuits. Some were courtesans, but many others were ordinary women doing their daily household tasks. The figures in Harunobu�s prints are very innocent-looking and child-like in appearance. There are no unpleasant images in his prints, only delicate beauties from all walks of life. Harunobu had three notable imitators: Kokan, Yoshinobu and Masunobu. He also had a tremendous techni�cal and aesthetic influence on the work of his contemporaries: Shunsho, Buncho, Koryusai and Shigemasa, who all later went on to produce a significant amount of work in their own more realistic styles.
Shunsho (1726-93) was one of the most popular artists of the time. A specialist in actor prints and erotic prints he brought realism in ukiyo-e to an unprecedented level. Shunsho�s remarkable designs showed more balance and brilliance of colour than those of Haru�nobu and his actor prints established a new trend by allowing theatregoers to distinguish the particular look and mannerisms of their favourite actors. Shunsho had many students, including Shunko (1743-1812) and Shunei (1762-1819) [20], but his most famous pupil was Hokusai.
Buncho (active 1765-92) [5] was of samurai origin and specialized in prints of kabuki actors and the ladies of the Yoshiwara. His
prendre comme sujet de ses estampes, dont beaucoup d�exemples qui restent sont de nature �rotique. Il est rest� l�artiste-graveur et l�illustrateur le plus prolifique et le plus �minent du pays jusqu�� sa mort en 1694.
Ce grand ma�tre de /'ukiyo-e primitif a eu une vaste influence sur ses contemporains et sur les artistes des g�n�rations successives. Parmi ses meilleurs �l�ves il faut citer Moroshige, Morofusa et Tomofusa, mais leur production semble r�duite et la lign�e s�est �teinte. Cependant, les estampes de Morono- bu ont aussi influenc� profond�ment les oeuvres de Sugimura Jihei (actif 1680-1698), un artiste � succ�s et tr�s fertile, et celle de l�illustrateur Sukenobu (1671-1750) [1], qui a pris comme sujet la vie et les l�gendes de l�ancien Japon; ce dernier a fond� sa propre �cole � Kyoto.
Par la suite, le groupe le plus important d�artistes ukiyo-e �tait les peintres Kaigetsudo, qui ont oeuvr� pendant les deux premi�res d�cennies du dix-huiti�me si�cle. Le fondateur de l��cole �tait Kaigetsudo Ando (1671-1743). Ses �l�ves ont emprunt� le nom d�atelier de Kaigetsudo. On comptait parmi ces �l�ves des artistes tels que Anchi, Doshin, Doshu, Doshiu et Dohan. Les artistes Kaigetsudo se sont sp�cialis�s dans le grand tableau impression�nant et les estampes de belles courtisanes, seules et debout, et ont port� une attention m�ticuleuse aux d�tails des motifs des kimono. A la longue, ces estampes de femmes se sont fait conna�tre sous le nom de bijin-ga, ou �estampe de jolie femme.� Les estampes Kaigetsudo sont exceptionnellement rares et tr�s cot�es.
A cette �poque florissaient �galement les ma�tres de la famille Torii, Kiyonobu (ca 1664-1729) et Kiyomasu (ca 1690-ann�es 1720). Quant aux sujets, ces deux artistes aimaient les �l�gants acteurs kabuki avec leurs intenses et puissantes expressions faciales. Leurs estampes sont �galement caract�ris�es par d�audacieuses lignes tour�billonnantes. Kiyonobu ajoutait � la main la couleur rouge (tan) � ses estampes; ce genre d�estampe s�est fait conna�tre sous le nom de tan-e.
La deuxi�me g�n�ration d�artistes Torii comprend Kiyotada (actif ca 1718-1750), Kiyoshige (actif fin des ann�es 1720-d�but des ann�es 1740), Kiyotomo (actif 1720-1740),
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