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- Shigemasa (1843-94) took Hiroshige�s name and became known as Hiroshige III [27]. Although his prints are inferior in quality, they are historically interesting because he uses images such as railways and brick buildings which show the modernization of Japan in the late nineteenth century. Hirokage (active 1855-65), Fusatane (active 1849-70) and Sadanobu (1809-79) were also students of Hiroshige.
In the early to mid-nineteenth century, the numerous followers of Toyokuni and the Utagawa school occupied a position of major importance. Toyokuni�s students were prolific and had enormous impact on printmaking in the late Edo period. His pupils included Kuniyasu [31], Kunimasa and Kuninao, butthe most significant were Kunisada and Kuniyoshi.
Kunisada (1786-1865) [28] was one of the most popular artists of the late Edo period. In fact, historians contend that he was the most prolific and commercially successful of all the ukiyo-e artists. Unfortunately, his phenomenal output resulted in a large number of inferior prints, and this fact has led some critics to blame Kunisada for the decline of ukiyo-e.
Although Kunisada made some excellent landscapes [28c], he was better known for his prints of courtesans and actors. One of his finest figure prints is a portrait of Hiroshige [28a], The two artists occasionally collabor�ated on prints in which Hiroshige would design the landscape background while Kunisada designed the figures [28fj. In many of Kunisada�s prints, the poses and facial expres�sions of his figures are outrageously exag�gerated, and the colours are often so hideous that the effect is gaudy and neurotic. Some critics consider Kunisada�s prints decadent and lacking in grace. In this regard, they perhaps reflect the unstableness of the times in which he lived.
In 1844 Kunisada began signing his prints with the name of his master, Toyokuni. Although Kunisada was determined to be known as Toyokuni II, historians generally recognize Toyokuni�s adopted son, Toyoshige (1777- 1835) [11], as the rightful heir to the title. Kunisada is usually known as Toyokuni III.
After Kunisada�s death, his son-in-law Kuni�masa adopted the title of Kunisada II (1823-80) [29] and made some reasonable actor prints.
Parmi d�autres artistes moins connus de l��poque, on compte Toyohiro (1773-1828) [19] et Shunsen (1762-1830) [22]. Toyohiro �tait le ma�tre de Hiroshige; Shunsen �tait l��l�ve de Shunei.
L��cole ukiyo-e a subi des changements remarquables au dix-neuvi�me si�cle: les techniques d�impression se sont perfec�tionn�es, et les artistes ont commenc� � cr�er des oeuvres qui faisaient appel � un plus vaste public. Ils se sont concentr�s sur l�exp�rience quotidienne et ordinaire du commun des mortels et les sites c�l�bres du paysage japonais. Ils se sont �loign�s des portraits d�acteurs pour prendre comme sujet les sc�nes plus dramatiques des pi�ces de Kabuki.
Pendant la p�riode entre 1820 et 1860, les deux plus grands artistes-graveurs �taient les paysagistes Hokusai (1760-1849) et Hiroshige (1797-1858).
Les historiens consid�rent Hokusai [23, II], l��l�ve de Shunsho, comme ayant �t� le premier paysagiste � succ�s de l��cole ukiyo- e. Hokusai a �tudi� la peinture chinoise aussi bien que plusieurs diff�rents styles de peinture japonaise, mais son succ�s provenait vraiment de son emprunt de la perspective europ�enne. A un moment donn�, il a fait plusieurs paysages inspir�s directement d�eaux-fortes europ�ennes. Les estampes de Hokusai sont caract�ris�es par le cerne audacieux et le lavis mat de teintes vert-jaun�tre. Il avait une perception de la nature bien � lui, ce qui donne � ses estampes une qualit� incontestable�ment dynamique.
Les plus beaux paysages de Hokusai font partie de trois suites portant comme titre �Les Trente-six Vues du Fuji,� �Ponts� et �Cas�cades.� Il �tait extr�mement prolifique et a produit de nombreux volumes de croquis (appel�s manga) aussi bien que des estampes d�oiseaux et de fleurs, surimono (tirage limit� d�opuscules command�s pour une occasion sp�ciale), et des estampes o� figurent des courtisanes, des acteurs et des lutteurs de sumo. Son oeuvre, qui est fantaisiste et charg� de perceptions subtiles, peut �tre plut�t comique, et ses estampes sont parmi les plus vives jamais r�alis�es. Hokusai �tait un g�nie artistique, enti�rement d�vou� � son travail, dont on pr�tend qu�il a cr�� plus de trente mille dessins au cours de pr�s de soixante-dix ans
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