Gekko
Demon Island
Ogata Gekkō (1859-1920) was a Japanese painter and woodblock print artist of the ukiyo-e genre. Gekkō's work was originally closely based upon that of Kikuchi Yosai, and was also inspired by Hokusai, creating a series of one hundred prints of mount Fuji. However, he did develop his own style, with significant stylistic elements from nihonga. His works were exhibited at a number of exhibitions, both those held domestically by the Ministry of Education and internationally. His works were seen in Chicago in 1893, Paris in 1900, and London in 1910.
Gekko was born with the original name of Nagami Masanosuke in the Kobayashi quarter of Tokyo. He became an orphan and was adopted by a family with the name Ogata.
In the beginning of his artistic career, he was attracted by drawing and by painting. He probably never underwent the traditional apprenticeship in any of the printmaking schools. Some believe he had been a pupil of Yoshitoshi. But his style does not support this theory.
Gekko Ogata developed his own typical style. His origins as illustrator and his preferences for drawing and painting are visible in his prints. Art critics say that Gekko tried to imitate the brush stroke in his prints.
One of Ogata's favourite subjects are natural prints. His kacho-e - bird prints - are numerous. He had a special skill for the details of the plumage of the birds.
During and after the Sino-Japanese war (1894-1895) the artist created several war print. While many of these war prints were merely aimed at illustrating the events and were created by artists who are not known for any other works, the war prints created by Gekko have an artistic value of their own.
Another important theme of Gekko prints are genre scenes from the everyday life of people - mothers with their children, children playing in their streets. These prints reveal an interesting insight into the daily life In Japan at the turn of the centuries.