Artist – Utagawa KUNISADA-II (歌川 国貞 二代) was a Japanese ukiyo-e print designer, one of three to take the name "Utagawa Kunisada". He headed the Utagawa school after the death of his master, adoptive father, and later father-in-law KUNISADA-I (Toyokuni-III). In the late 1830ies he entered the workshop of KUNISADA-I (Toyokuni-III) in order to start a career as a woodblock artist. His master gave him the artist's name "Kunimasa" (III) ("国政"). KUNISADA-II used to sign his works from 1844 until 1850/51 as "Kunimasa", when he moved into his new home in Kameido in the Kōtō ward of Edo. The house was given to him by Kunisada-I, on the occasion of his marriage to Kunisada's eldest daughter Osuzu. After the death of his master and father-in-law in 1865, he became the formal head of the Utagawa school.

From 1869/1870 onward he signed his works as "Toyokuni-III". Because "Toyoshige", the legal heir to "Toyokuni-I" already used the "go"-name "Toyokuni-II", "Kunisada-I" should be correctly named "Toyokuni-III". Thus Kunisada-II as heir to "Kunisada-I" should be named "Toyokuni-IV". This is in accordance within nowadays international acceptance.

KUNISADA II worked in the style of his master, but never achieved the same level of success. In the course of his career, he designed numerous templates for several thousand woodcuts. KUNISADA-II focused on Kabuki prints and portraits of actors, but without being able to ever catch up with its success to his master. In addition, he is still known for Genji, Bijin-e-prints and prints of sumo wrestlers. Among his greatest achievements were the series "Stories of Courage of eight dogs" (Hakkenden inu no Shoshi no uchi) and playing cards by Murasaki Shikibu Genji (Genji Murasaki Shikibu karuta). In addition to numerous individual sheets, there are about more than 40 series he was working at. KUNISADA-II had been working on behalf of nearly 50 different publishers. His popularity waned in the Meiji period (1868–1912), and he appears to have stopped making prints after 1874.


Personal life -  There is only sparse information about KUNISADA-II's personal life. He was born in 1823. His given name was "Takenouchi Munehisa" ("竹内 宗久"). In 1846, after entering Kunisada-I's school, KUNISADA-II was adopted by his master with the "go"-name of "Kunimasa" (IV). In 1864 he married his master's eldest daughter "Osuzu" ("小鈴"). KUNISADA-II died on 20 July 1880 and was buried at Banshōin Kōun-ji (萬昌院功運寺). His Buddhist posthumous name is Sankōin Hōkokujutei Shinji.


Aliases - Given name as "Takenouchi Munehisa" ("竹内 宗久"), given "go"-name. Until 1850 he signed his prints as "Kunimasa" (III) ("国政"). He usually signed prints either 国貞画 (Kunisada ga, drawn by Kunisada) or 国貞筆 (Kunisada hitsu, from the brush of Kunisada). He did not sign prints as "Kunisada II". His signature may be distinguished from that of Kunisada I in that the "sada" kanji is straight in the signature of Kunisada I, but angular in the signature of Kunisada II (see above: "Signatures reading "KUNISADA"). From 1869 he signed as "Toyokuni" (IV) ("豊国"). He used as by-names Baidō (梅堂), Hōraisha (宝来舎), Ichijusai (ca. 1844–1854) (一寿斎), und Baichōrō (ca. 1852–1870) (梅蝶楼), usually in front of his respective "go"-name.


Disciples - Known students of his include Kunisada III (1848–1920), and Utagawa Kokunimasa (1874-1944), as well as Kunimasa-IV (国政 四代), Kunitsuna-II (国綱 二代) und Toyonobu (豊宣). Known other disciples include Kuniyuki (国幸) and Masahisa (政久).