**early life and training**
utagawa kunisada ii, also known as
toyokuni iv, was a renowned japanese ukiyo-e print designer born in edo, japan in 1823. he was a pupil of
utagawa kunisada i and signed much of his early work under the name
kunimasa iii. around 1850-51, he adopted the name
kunisada ii, marking his inheritance of the
utagawa school.
**artistic style and notable works**
kunisada ii's prints include over 40 series, mostly featuring actors (yakusha-e), as well as portraits of beauties, illustrations of scenes from literature, erotica, and other subjects. one of his most celebrated works is
the tale of the eight dog heroes (hakkendun inu no sōshi no uchi), dating from 1852, drawn from
kyokutei bakin's epic novel,
the satomi clan and the eight dogs (nansō satomi hakkenden).
**legacy and later life**
kunisada ii headed the
utagawa school and worked in the style of his master, but never achieved the same level of success. his popularity waned in the meiji period (1868–1912), and he appears to have stopped making prints after 1874. he died on july 20, 1880, and was buried at
banshōin kōunji. his buddhist posthumous name is
sankōin hōkokujutei shinji.
**notable mentions in ArtsDot.com**
**key points in kunisada ii's life**
**further reading on ArtsDot.com**
