Artist – KUNIKAZU (active 1849 ~ 1868) studied in one of the Toyokuni schools, maybe Toyokuni II or III and had been collaborating with Utagawa Yoshitaki (1841-1899) and Utagawa Yoshiyuki (act. 1848-1864). He was also mentioned in context with the Osaka school, namely with Gochôtei Sadamasu (Kunimasu).
He is mainly praised in context with kabuki-e (theater prints: 歌舞伎絵), and sketched a numer of praised yakusha-e (actor prints: 役者絵). A famous series of prints shows "One Hundred Views of Osaka" (Naniwa hyakkei: 浪花百景). Despite his elaborate and fine designs of kabuki-e, a number of his surimono prints (privately commissioned invitational cards: 摺物) have survived.


Personal life - Little is known about his personal life. He was from Osaka and used "Utagawa" as surname. It is not clear if he had been a regular student of a UTAGAWA school, Nevertheless his artists name "KUNI"-KAZU may hint to his affiliation with Kunisada (Toyokuni III). His period of activity was from 1849 to around 1868.


Aliases - KUNIKAZU mainly signed his works as KUNIKAZU (国 員), sometimes used his ga (artist's epithet: 画, 畫, 畵) ) Ishussai or Ishiussai (一珠斎), Oju (應), or Kaiyourou (花陽樓).


Disciples - No disciples known.