Biography
Ogata Gekko (尾形月耕, 1859–1920) was one of the most prolific and versatile Japanese woodblock print artists of the Meiji era, producing an extraordinary body of work that encompassed landscapes, beautiful women, warriors, historical subjects, nature studies, and scenes of modern life. His "Flowers of One Hundred Poets" series and his extensive war prints documenting Japan's military conflicts established him as one of the most visible and commercially successful artists of his generation.
Born Tashiro Masanosuke in the Kanda district of Edo (modern Tokyo) on August 10, 1859, Gekko was largely self-taught as an artist — an unusual distinction in an era when most Japanese painters apprenticed under established masters. He studied painting on his own, reportedly learning by copying works by old masters and sketching from nature, and adopted the art name Gekko (meaning "moonlight") early in his career. His lack of formal training in any single school gave him a certain creative freedom, allowing him to draw on diverse artistic traditions without the constraints of a particular lineage or orthodoxy.
Gekko first achieved widespread recognition through his designs for woodblock prints, working with several Tokyo publishers who catered to the enormous Meiji-era appetite for illustrated books and print series. His range was remarkable: he produced delicate kacho-e (bird-and-flower prints) alongside muscular warrior subjects, elegant bijin-ga (beautiful women) alongside documentary war prints, and serene landscapes alongside bustling scenes of Tokyo's modern transformation. This versatility made him one of the most commercially successful print designers of his time, though it also contributed to his later critical neglect, as art historians tended to favor artists with more focused, easily categorizable bodies of work.
Among Gekko's most celebrated achievements is "Gekko Zuihitsu" (Gekko's Sketchbook), a series of elegant prints depicting a wide range of subjects from daily life, nature, and classical literature. These prints demonstrate his exceptional draftsmanship and his ability to distill complex subjects into compositions of clarity and grace. His "Flowers of One Hundred Poets" (Hyakunin isshu) series, illustrating the famous anthology of classical Japanese poetry, is another major work that combines literary erudition with visual beauty, depicting scenes inspired by each of the one hundred poems with sensitivity to both their literary meaning and their decorative potential.
Gekko was also one of the most prolific creators of war prints during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895 and the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. These triptychs and multi-panel compositions depicted naval battles, cavalry charges, siege operations, and other military subjects with a combination of dramatic energy and documentary detail that made them enormously popular with the Japanese public. While war prints were produced by many Meiji-era artists, Gekko's are distinguished by their ambitious compositions and their attention to the specifics of modern military technology.
Key Facts
- Active Period
- 1859–1920
- Nationality
- 🇯🇵Japan
- Movement
- Meiji/Taishō Prints
Frequently Asked Questions
Ogata Gekko (尾形月耕, 1859–1920) was one of the most prolific and versatile Japanese woodblock print artists of the Meiji era, producing an extraordinary body of work that encompassed landscapes, beautiful women, warriors, historical subjects, nature studies, and scenes of modern life. His "Flowers of One Hundred Poets" series and his extensive war prints documenting Japan's military conflicts established him as one of the most visible and commercially successful artists of his generation.
Ogata Gekko was active from 1859 to 1920. They were associated with the Meiji/Taishō Prints movement.
Ogata Gekko's work was shaped by the Meiji/Taishō Prints tradition in Japanese woodblock printmaking. Meiji/Taishō Prints: Meiji and Taishō era prints (1868–1926) bridge the transition from traditional ukiyo-e to the modern shin-hanga and sosaku-hanga movements.
Ogata Gekko's prints frequently feature landscapes, warriors, figures, bijin-ga, portraits, birds & flowers.
Original prints by Ogata Gekko can be found in collections including Honolulu Museum of Art, Japanese Art Open Database, British Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
Ogata Gekko was one of the most prolific Meiji-era print artists, and the sheer volume of his output means that his work is relatively accessible to collectors. War triptychs and common subjects are available for as little as $200-$500, making Gekko an excellent entry point for collectors interested in Meiji-era Japanese prints. His finest artistic works command significantly higher prices. Gekko's market divides into several tiers. War prints from the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars are the most commonly available and affordable works, typically selling for $200-$800. His artistic prints — nature studies, beautiful women, historical and literary subjects — from series such as 'Gekko Zuihitsu' and 'Flowers of One Hundred Poets' are more sought after and typically sell for $600-$2,000. The finest impressions of his most celebrated designs, particularly from the 'Hundred Poets' series, can achieve $3,000-$10,000. For collectors, Gekko offers an unusual combination of quality and accessibility. His best prints demonstrate exceptional draftsmanship and elegant composition, while his large output keeps prices moderate compared to rarer Meiji-era artists. Condition and impression quality are important differentiators in Gekko's market, as the quality of carving and printing can vary considerably across his extensive production.