🔍
Advanced Search

Gekko Ogata is one of the important ukiyo-e artists of the Meiji era. As such he has a difficult stand in today's art market. With the exception of Yoshitoshi, artists of the Meiji period like Gekko, Kunichika, Chikanobu or Yoshiiku are chronically undervalued. Ogata Gekko was born in Edo on September 15, 1859. His given name was Nagami Shonosuke. His father had been a prosperous member of the community but went bankrupt when Gekko was 17. Gekko was therefore forced to make his own way in the world. With no formal training in art, Gekko began his artistic pursuits as an illustrator for newspapers, journals and books. Gradually, he became well-known and in about 1884 he started using the name Ogata Gekko. It is said that he took the name from the famous artist Ogata Korin, at the request of Korin's family. Eventually, Gekko perfected his own style, merging ukiyo-e, shijo painting, nihonga and Chinese style. His unique approach has the appearance of painting rather than traditional prints, with an emphasis on areas of wash rather than linear effects. He was a well respected and recognized artist during his lifetime and exhibited internationally. He was honored with a gold medal for one of his prints from the series "100 Views of Mt. Fuji" at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1903.