Ogata Gekko

Key facts

Lived

1859–1920, Japanese

Movement

• Ukiyo-e

Works held in

2 museums

Plan your visit to see Ogata Gekko →

• What is Ogata Gekko known for?+

  Ogata Gekko is known for winning international prizes at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and a Gold Prize at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. He is also known for his One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji series and his war prints documenting the First Sino-Japanese War.
• What is Ogata Gekko's most famous work?+

  Ogata Gekko was a prolific artist who gained recognition both in Japan and abroad. He worked in several genres, including nishiki-e prints, which are full-colour woodblock prints. His nishiki-e series, *Gekko Cartoons (Gekko manga)*, which depicted contemporary practices, helped to establish his reputation as an innovative artist who captured modern manners and customs. He also produced many triptychs illustrating scenes from the Sino-Japanese War. Other series include *Gekko Miscellany (Gekko zuihitsu)*, *Comparison of Beauties and Flowers at Famous Places (Hana bijin meisho awase)*, and *Beauties Matched with Famous Places (Bijin meisho awase)*. One of Gekko's most celebrated works is *One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji (Fuji hyakkei)*. This print series was published between 1903 and 1907. It earned him a gold medal at the Saint Louis World's Fair in 1904, increasing his international visibility. In addition to prints, Gekko aspired to be known for what he considered "real paintings". He was active in various art societies and exhibited his work at international expositions, including the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the Japan-Britain Exposition in 1910.
• What should I know about Ogata Gekko's prints?+

  Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) was a self-taught artist who made a name for himself during the Meiji period. He is known for his woodblock prints (nishiki-e), illustrations, and paintings. Gekko's early work included gold-lacquer decorations for jinrikisha, underpainting for export porcelain, and hanshita (drawings for printing). Kawanabe Kyosai recognised Gekko's talent and encouraged him to produce triptychs related to current events. This led to work as a sashi-e artist for newspapers. His nishiki-e series, "Gekko Cartoons", which depicted modern manners and customs, helped establish his reputation. He also produced many triptychs of Sino-Japanese War scenes. His print series include "Gekko Miscellany", "Comparison of Beauties and Flowers at Famous Places", and "Beauties Matched with Famous Places". He also designed nishiki-e illustrations for books in foreign languages, such as Josiah Conder's "The Floral Art of Japan". Gekko gained international recognition for his series "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji", winning a gold medal at the Saint Louis World's Fair in 1904. Gekko is credited with developing the sashiage technique, which simulates watercolour effects in woodblock printing.
• What style or movement did Ogata Gekko belong to?+

  Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) was a Japanese artist of the Meiji period (1868-1912). He is associated with the outer circle of *nihonga* artists, although he was largely self-taught. He aspired to be recognised for 'real paintings'. Despite his admittance to organisations sponsored by Okakura Tenshin, Gekko was not always taken seriously by other artists and critics due to his lack of formal training and theoretical background. He is credited with developing the *sashiage* technique, along with Watanabe Seitei. This method simulated watercolour effects in woodblock printing. Gekko's work includes the popular *nishiki-e* series *Gekko Cartoons*, which established his reputation as a pioneer artist of modern manners and customs. He also designed numerous triptychs of Sino-Japanese War scenes. He was active in the Painting Appreciation Society, Japan Youth Painters' Association, and Japan Painting Society, and was a member of the Japan Art Institute.
• What techniques or materials did Ogata Gekko use?+

  Ogata Gekko drew almost daily from direct observation. He initially had no formal teacher, but he looked up to Tani Buncho (1763-1840). Marutani Shinhachi, a publisher, offered financial assistance and criticism early in Gekko's career. Maeda Kahan, an editor, also critiqued Gekko's illustrations for newspapers. Gekko studied Yosai's Practices of Ancient Wise Men and intensified his practice of drawing from nature after collaborating with Kobayashi Eitaku on Explanatory Diagram of Japanese Scenic Spots (Nihon meisho zukai) and Explanatory Diagram of Japanese Distinguished People (Nihon meike zukai) in 1888. In his youth, Gekko earned a living doing gold-lacquer decorations for jinrikisha and underpainting for export porcelain. Kawanabe Kyosai recommended that he draw triptychs related to current events. Gekko is credited with developing the sashiage technique, along with Watanabe Seitei; this simulates watercolour effects in woodblock printing.
• What was Ogata Gekko known for?+

  Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) was an artist known for his prints and illustrations in storybooks and newspapers. Born Nakagami Masanosuke, he later took the art surname Ogata. He was self-taught, but his early work shows the influence of Kikuchi Yosai. Gekko created the popular nishiki-e series, *Gekko Cartoons*, which established his reputation as an artist of modern manners and customs. He also drew numerous triptychs of Sino-Japanese War scenes. Series of broadsheets include *Gekko Miscellany*, *Comparison of Beauties and Flowers at Famous Places*, and *Beauties Matched with Famous Places*. His work gained international recognition. He received a prize at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893) for his painting *Edo’s Sanno Festival*. He also received a gold medal at the Saint Louis World's Fair (1904) for his series *One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji*. Gekko is credited with developing the sashiage technique, which simulates watercolour effects in woodblock printing. His students included Yamamura Koka, Tsukioka Kogyo, and Sakata Kosetsu.
• Where can I see Ogata Gekko's work?+

  Ogata Gekko's work can be viewed in several locations that hold collections of Japanese prints. In Japan, the Tokyo National Museum, the Ota Museum (Tokyo), and the Hiraki Ukiyo-e Museum (Yokohama) all hold significant collections. The Shōmyō-ji monastery in Yokohama also contains paintings among its collection of Buddhist statues and minor arts. Outside Japan, museums with notable holdings include the Musée Guimet in Paris, the Chester Beatty Library and Gallery of Oriental Art in Dublin, the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. In the United States, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston also possess collections of Japanese prints. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam owns a surimono collection; however, it has not yet been catalogued.
• Where was Ogata Gekko from?+

  Ogata Gekko was born in 1859 in the Kyobashi section of Edo (present-day Tokyo). His birth name was Nakagami Shonosuke. The Nakagami family had once been wealthy, operating the garbage collection franchise for the Katsushika ward. However, by the time Gekko was seventeen, the family business had failed. They relocated to Kyobashi Yumicho and started a lantern business. In 1884, Ogata Mitsuya, a descendant of Ogata Korin, asked Shonosuke to adopt the Ogata surname. Gekko lived in Okecho, in his native Kyobashi, in 1896. His house had previously been occupied by the kabuki actor Ichikawa Yaozo. He was popular in Japan and recognised abroad. He was awarded a gold medal at the Saint Louis World's Fair in 1904 for his One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji.
• Who did Ogata Gekko influence?+

  Ogata Gekko's influence can be seen in the work of his direct disciples, most notably Yamamura Koka (also known as Toyonari), Tsukioka Kogyo, and Sakata Kosetsu. Koka wrote extensively about Gekko's lifestyle, noting that artists such as Terasaki Kogyo, Mizuno Toshikata, and Tomioka Eisen visited Gekko frequently. Sakata Kosetsu, born in 1871, moved to Osaka around 1890 and drew illustrations for newspapers and novels. Gekko, along with Watanabe Seitei, is credited with developing the sashiage technique. This innovation simulated watercolour effects in woodblock printing. Gekko's approach of placing figures in natural settings with detailed backgrounds also had an impact. Though he aspired to recognition as a 'real painter' within nihonga circles, his self-taught background meant some artists and critics did not take him seriously.
• Who influenced Ogata Gekko?+

  Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) lived during a period of rapid change in Japan, as traditional artistic styles encountered Western influences. Analysing artistic influences requires understanding the established modes of instruction. Art theory, mirroring literary theory, regarded imitation and education as linked. A student would initially make a close copy; this was a technical study. Next, the student created a variant to show an understanding of structure and style. Finally, the student created a version surpassing the model. Artistic training involved selecting exemplary masters for guidance. The goal was to create an improvement, paying homage to the model while displaying the artist's own skill. Therefore, identifying Ogata Gekko's artistic influences involves considering both the Japanese traditions in which he was trained, and how he adapted or improved upon those traditions in his own work.
• Who was Ogata Gekko?+

  Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) was a Japanese artist working in the Meiji period. Born Nakagami Masanosuke in Edo (modern Tokyo), he later took the Ogata surname. This came about because a descendant of the artist Ogata Korin requested that Gekko inherit the family name. Entirely self-taught, Gekko initially earned his living through a variety of jobs. These included decorating rickshaws, designing flyers for the Yoshiwara district, and painting export porcelain. He drew inspiration from the painter Kikuchi Yosai. Gekko gained recognition for his print designs and illustrations in books and newspapers, such as *Choya Newspaper Illustrated*. He participated in the Painting Appreciation Association from 1885. His print series *Gekko’s Random Sketches* began in 1886. Gekko designed many war triptychs during the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95). Emperor Meiji purchased Gekko's painting *Night attack of the Soga* in 1898. He achieved international fame, receiving a prize at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893) for *Edo’s Sanno Festival*. At the St Louis World’s Fair (1904), he won a gold prize for his series *One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji*. He exhibited at the Japan-British Exhibition in London (1910). Gekko died in 1920.
• Why are Ogata Gekko's works important today?+

  Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) was a Japanese artist of the Meiji period. He is known today for bridging the artistic traditions of the ukiyo-e school with modern techniques and subject matter. While Gekko produced paintings and illustrations, he is best known for his woodblock prints. These prints document a transitional period in Japanese history, as the country opened to the West and modernised rapidly. His images capture contemporary life, including the First Sino-Japanese War, as well as traditional subjects like birds, flowers, and historical figures. Gekko's importance lies in his ability to adapt traditional ukiyo-e methods to new subjects and tastes. He was one of the first Japanese artists to gain international recognition, exhibiting his work at world fairs and expositions. This helped to promote Japanese art abroad and influenced Western artists. His work provides valuable insight into the cultural and social changes that occurred in Japan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.