Kobayashi Kiyochika

Artwork by Kobayashi Kiyochika about warfare.

Kobayashi Kiyochika was a 19th-century Japanese illustrator and painter, who is notable for being a pioneer in comics. Other 19th-century Japanese artists who were comics pioneers have been Kobayashi Eitaku, Hokusai, Yoshitoshi Tsukioka and Kuniyoshi Utagawa. 

He started out creating caricatures and humorous illustrations after his meeting with Charles Wirgman, journalist of the London Illustrated News and founder of the satirical periodical Japan Punch. From 1876 to 1881, Kiyochika created a succession of engravings about everyday Tokyo life, 'Kosenga'. This series was followed by a historic series (1882-1893) and a series of paintings dealing with the conflicts of Japan with Russia and China (1894-1905).

At the same time, he made numerous illustrations published in magazines such as Maru Maruchinbun, Shinban Sanju ni Menso and Kyoiku Iroha Tango. In 1894, he founded his own school, Kiyochika Gajuku.

Artwork by Kobayashi Kiyochika.

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Artwork by Kobayashi Kiyochika.

Artwork by Kobayashi Kiyochika.