Shinsui Itō

<h2 id="biography">Biography</h2>
Itō was born in the <a href="/facts/Fukagawa_(Tokyo)/5Fje89My">Fukagawa</a> district of <a href="/facts/Tokyo/GTvuw4ct">Tokyo</a>. After unwise investments bankrupted his father's business, he was forced to drop out of elementary school in the third grade and became a live-in apprentice at a printing shop. It was in this manner that he became interested in printing techniques and also in the arts.
In 1911, Itō was accepted as an apprentice under <a href="/facts/Kaburagi_Kiyokata/soRqr416">Kaburagi Kiyokata</a>, (who gave him the pseudonym of "Shinsui") and issued his first <a href="/facts/Woodblock_print/7DX03pTa">woodblock print</a> the following year. His talent was soon apparent, and from the following year, his paintings were entered in public exhibitions.
In 1912, his works were first shown by the Tatsumi gakai ("Southeast Painting Society") and later works were displayed by the Kyodokai ("Homeland Society"), the Nihon bijutsuin (Japan Art Institute), and in the government sponsored <a href="/facts/Bunten/aoxvz4Ps">Bunten</a> show. His works were received with much praise by <a href="/facts/Art_critic/MUslJQjy">art critics</a>, and his reputation was soon made. His early works won numerous awards, and he accepted a post at the <a href="/facts/Tokyo_Nichi_Nichi_Shimbun/w2bAFsb6">Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun</a> to supply illustrations for newspapers.
As with most artists of the <a href="/facts/Shin-hanga/5SmBxje3">shin-hanga</a> movement (notably <a href="/facts/Kawase_Hasui/C5bUxv7h">Kawase Hasui</a>), Itō was spotted by publisher <a href="/facts/Watanabe_Sh%25C5%258Dzabur%25C5%258D/zT44yjRP">Watanabe Shōzaburō</a>, who effectively monopolized the market. Itō came to be known as a specialist in the <a href="/facts/Bijin-ga/g6NjzLVW">bijin-ga</a> ("picture[s] of beautiful women") genre, although he also occasionally painted <a href="/facts/Landscape_painting/NMp0Yono">landscapes</a>.
Itō's first major print, "Before the Mirror", depicts a young woman wearing a deep red <a href="/facts/Kimono/0NBd91Sv">kimono</a> under-robe, looking off into an unseen mirror. Instead of using the harsh <a href="/facts/Aniline/eFXck1Rj">aniline</a> red common in other contemporary prints, Itō used a <a href="/facts/Natural_dye/qry80lhk">natural vegetable dye</a>, overprinting the robe several times to achieve a rich crimson color. Special care was also taken for the speckled gray texture background, making a contrast with the red garment, black hair, and white skin.
Itō's early landscape series, Eight Views of Lake Biwa inspired Kawase Hasui. His early bijin-ga are generally considered his finest works, including Twelve Figures of New Beauties (1922–1923).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1">1</a>
Itō established his own independent studio in 1927. Although many of his early works were direct reflections of traditional <a href="/facts/Ukiyo-e/gejNflnB">ukiyo-e</a> both in subject matter and in style, his technique was revolutionary. Ito would paint a "master painting" in <a href="/facts/Watercolor_painting/l0DejAVg">watercolors</a>, and dedicated craftsmen would make the actual prints from this "master copy". Itō was thus a pioneer in the <a href="/facts/Shin-hanga/5SmBxje3">shin-hanga</a> movement. Watanabe and Itō continued their business cooperation into the 1960s, and Watanabe exported thousands of Shinsui prints, generating great success for them both.

During the <a href="/facts/Pacific_War/yNu6op98">Pacific War</a>, Itō was drafted by the Japanese government into producing <a href="/facts/Propaganda/nGeaIHVJ">propaganda</a> art. He was sent to the <a href="/facts/Oceania/vzTEvsfV">South Pacific</a> and Japanese-occupied <a href="/facts/Netherlands_East_Indies/1vl6kw8p">Netherlands East Indies</a>, and completed over 3000 sketches during his travels to various islands under Japanese rule. At the end of the war, he relocated from the ruins of Tokyo to <a href="/facts/Komoro%2c_Nagano/sKAa0oM7">Komoro</a> in the mountains of <a href="/facts/Nagano_Prefecture/S5lbg8hC">Nagano Prefecture</a>. He relocated from there to <a href="/facts/Kamakura%2c_Kanagawa/DMbqbBwC">Kamakura, Kanagawa</a>, in 1949.
In the post-war period Itō came to be regarded as one of the best known and respected personalities in Japanese society, and received several important honors during his lifetime. In 1952 the "Commission for the Protection of Cultural Properties" (Bunkazai Hōgō Iinkai) declared his woodblock designing talent to be of "intangible cultural properties" (mukei bunkazai) which was then the equivalent of being declared a <a href="/facts/Living_National_Treasure_(Japan)/BFdkS2k0">Living National Treasure</a>. In 1958, he became a member of the <a href="/facts/Japan_Art_Academy/aoxvz4Ps">Japan Art Academy</a>. In 1970, he received the <a href="/facts/Order_of_the_Rising_Sun/4F4Fb81F">Order of the Rising Sun</a>.
One of Itō's works, Yubi, ("Finger") was the subject of the 1974 Philatelic Week <a href="/facts/Commemorative_postage_stamp/sJRT7NYY">commemorative postage stamp</a> issued by the Japanese post office. Another work, Fubuki ("Blizzard") was depicted on a 1983 Japanese commemorative postage stamp as part of the Modern Japanese Arts series.
Itō's daughter, <a href="/facts/Yukiji_Asaoka/dJfcJnfm">Yukiji Asaoka</a>, is an actress and singer. Itō died in 1972 of cancer. His grave is at the temple of Ryūsō-in in <a href="/facts/Shinagawa%2c_Tokyo/ERhCVL79">Shinagawa, Tokyo</a>.

<h2 id="major-works">Major works</h2>
<ul><li>Eight Views of Lake Biwa – 1917–1918</li>
<li>Twelve Figures of New Beauties – 1922–1923</li>
<li>Collection of Modern Beauties – 1929–1931</li>
<li>Twelve Views of Ōshima – 1937–1938</li>
<li>Three Views of Mount Fuji – 1938–1939</li>
<li>Ten Views of Shinano – 1948</li>
<li>Incense Party (聞香, <a href="/facts/Monk%25C5%258D/GMKhJnAd">Monkō</a>) - 1950<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2">2</a></li></ul>
His works are held in several museums worldwide, including the <a href="/facts/Virginia_Museum_of_Fine_Arts/aML176Ue">Virginia Museum of Fine Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a> the <a href="/facts/Toledo_Museum_of_Art/pg9M1BBJ">Toledo Museum of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> the <a href="/facts/Hiroshima_Museum_of_Art/Blkwewtk">Hiroshima Museum of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a> the <a href="/facts/Fine_Arts_Museums_of_San_Francisco/hJ9G5qbQ">Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a> the <a href="/facts/Minneapolis_Institute_of_Art/2QukxDel">Minneapolis Institute of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a> the <a href="/facts/Museum_of_Fine_Arts%2c_Boston/PerM3TTv">Museum of Fine Arts, Boston</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a> the <a href="/facts/University_of_Michigan_Museum_of_Art/rIldIXln">University of Michigan Museum of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a> the <a href="/facts/Indianapolis_Museum_of_Art/yHT8ws4v">Indianapolis Museum of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a> the <a href="/facts/Hood_Museum_of_Art/2hMyK28T">Hood Museum of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a> the <a href="/facts/Columbus_Museum_of_Art/UF3eJzsx">Columbus Museum of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a> the <a href="/facts/Museum_of_Modern_Art%2c_Kamakura_%2526_Hayama/XtjJeeNb">Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a> the <a href="/facts/Los_Angeles_County_Museum_of_Art/B6X414C4">Los Angeles County Museum of Art</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a> the <a href="/facts/Brooklyn_Museum/IFLKyrQK">Brooklyn Museum</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a> the <a href="/facts/Harvard_Art_Museums/EkcUA3h1">Harvard Art Museums</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a> and the <a href="/facts/British_Museum/mq5LadWV">British Museum</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a>

<ul><li>Merritt, Helen and Nanako Yamada. (1995). Guide to Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints, 1900-1975. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.	<a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 9780824817329; <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 9780824812867; <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/247995392">OCLC 247995392</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://mokuhanga1.com/ito-shinsui/">Catalogue of Ito Shinsui prints</a> Approximately 180 woodblock prints</li>
<li><a href="http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=browse;dept=japan;method=artist;searchtype=3;term=Ito%20Shinsui">Ito Shinsui's works at Los Angeles County Museum of Art</a></li>
<li><a href="https://jyuluck-do.com/profile_ito_shinsui.html">Brief biography of Ito Shinsui - Jyuluck-Do Corporation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.gallery-sakura.com/search/ito_shinsui.html">Artworks and history of Ito Shinsui</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">"Young Girl from "Twelve Figures of Modern Beauties"". emuseum.toledomuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="http://emuseum.toledomuseum.org:8080/objects/50133/young-girl-from-twelve-figures-of-modern-beauties;jsessionid=9D9C42887B8763007827F8F1B7E910B8" target="_blank">http://emuseum.toledomuseum.org:8080/objects/50133/young-girl-from-twelve-figures-of-modern-beauties;jsessionid=9D9C42887B8763007827F8F1B7E910B8</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">"文化遺産データベース". <a href="http://bunka.nii.ac.jp/db/heritages/detail/89726" target="_blank">http://bunka.nii.ac.jp/db/heritages/detail/89726</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"伊東深水 雪もよひ 画轴 絹本著色 (Primary Title) - (2016.13)". Virginia Museum of Fine Arts |. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-76429164/" target="_blank">https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-76429164/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Young Girl from "Twelve Figures of Modern Beauties"". emuseum.toledomuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="http://emuseum.toledomuseum.org:8080/objects/50133/young-girl-from-twelve-figures-of-modern-beauties;jsessionid=9D9C42887B8763007827F8F1B7E910B8" target="_blank">http://emuseum.toledomuseum.org:8080/objects/50133/young-girl-from-twelve-figures-of-modern-beauties;jsessionid=9D9C42887B8763007827F8F1B7E910B8</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"ITO Shinsui - [Hiroshima Museum of Art]". Hiroshima Museum of Art. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://www.hiroshima-museum.jp/en/collection/jsp/ito_s.html" target="_blank">https://www.hiroshima-museum.jp/en/collection/jsp/ito_s.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"After the Bath - Ito Shinsui". FAMSF Search the Collections. 2015-11-08. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://art.famsf.org/ito-shinsui/after-bath-19672224" target="_blank">https://art.famsf.org/ito-shinsui/after-bath-19672224</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"Chiaki Ajioka | Japanese Modernism & Itō Shinsui: Paintings & Prints –– Minneapolis Institute of Art". new.artsmia.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://new.artsmia.org/event/japanese-modernism-ito-shinsui-paintings-prints/" target="_blank">https://new.artsmia.org/event/japanese-modernism-ito-shinsui-paintings-prints/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"The Marumage Hairstyle". collections.mfa.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://collections.mfa.org/objects/257684/the-marumage-hairstyle;jsessionid=D4B63FD27C557F9303F5494FF75EE5CF" target="_blank">https://collections.mfa.org/objects/257684/the-marumage-hairstyle;jsessionid=D4B63FD27C557F9303F5494FF75EE5CF</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">"Exchange: Untitled". exchange.umma.umich.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://exchange.umma.umich.edu/resources/34944/view" target="_blank">https://exchange.umma.umich.edu/resources/34944/view</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"Eight Views of Ōmi: Mount Hira 近江八景の内比良 (Ōmi hakkei no uchi Hira)". Indianapolis Museum of Art Online Collection. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="http://collection.imamuseum.org/artwork/84104/" target="_blank">http://collection.imamuseum.org/artwork/84104/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">"Footwarmer (Kotatsu), from The Second Series of Modern Beauties (Gendai bijinshu dai-nishu)". Hood Museum. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/objects/2009.38" target="_blank">https://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/objects/2009.38</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">"Embark Collection". Columbus Museum of Art. 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://www.columbusmuseum.org/embark-collection/" target="_blank">https://www.columbusmuseum.org/embark-collection/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"Work / Material Details : The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura&Hayama". www.moma.pref.kanagawa.jp. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="http://www.moma.pref.kanagawa.jp/webmuseum_en/detail?cls=attkn&pkey=5181&dicCls=author&dicDataId=84&detaillnkIdx=0" target="_blank">http://www.moma.pref.kanagawa.jp/webmuseum_en/detail?cls=attkn&pkey=5181&dicCls=author&dicDataId=84&detaillnkIdx=0</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">"Passing Rain | LACMA Collections". collections.lacma.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://collections.lacma.org/node/190425" target="_blank">https://collections.lacma.org/node/190425</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">"Brooklyn Museum". www.brooklynmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/173779" target="_blank">https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/173779</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Harvard. "From the Harvard Art Museums' collections Hair (Kami)". harvardartmuseums.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://harvardartmuseums.org/art/184442" target="_blank">https://harvardartmuseums.org/art/184442</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">"print | British Museum". The British Museum. Retrieved 2021-01-08. <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1981-0731-0-1" target="_blank">https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1981-0731-0-1</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Shinsui Itō open-in-new

Shinsui Itō