Kitao Shigemasa

(b Edo [now Tokyo], 1739; d Edo, 1820). Japanese print designer and book illustrator. He was unusual among ukiyoe ('pictures of the floating world') artists because he was self-taught. His family ran a bookshop, and the young Shigemasa probably learnt his skills from studying illustrations in books sold in the family shop. His first works gained recognition during the late 1750s. Extant early works are benizurie ('pink-printed pictures'; two-colour prints) and yakushae ('pictures of actors'), but his principal output is in book illustration, which he practised throughout his career and which became the speciality of the Kitao school (see JAPAN,

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A Shigemasa, non-geisha, painting

Kitao Shigemasa (1739-1820) was a Japanese ukiyo-e arist from Edo. He was one of the leading printmakers of his day, but his works have been slightly obscure. He is noted for paintings of geisha. He is also noted for his haikai and shodo calligraphy. He founded the Kitao school.

External links

• Bio at Berkeley University
• Geocities Bio

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