Japan: 'Teahouse at the Shinagawa Bay', woodblock print by Chobunsai Eishi (1756-1829), c. 1785-1790

Chobunsai Eishi (1756-1829) was a Japanese "ukiyo-e" artist. Born Hosoda Tokitomi to a well-off samurai family from the prestigious Fujiwara clan, Eishi became family head when his father died in 1772, and from there he held a position in the palace of Shogun Tokugawa Ieharu. Eishi appeared to have studied art under Kano Michinobu of the Kano school, and he left the official service of the Shogun in 1784 to pursue his artistic talents, giving up his samurai rank. His earliest works were "nishki-e" prints of literary fare such as 'The Tale of Genji', but he soon went to specialise in "bijinga" portraits of women. Eishi also occasionally illustrated books of "shunga" erotica. He abandoned woodblock printing for painting sometime after 1801.