Torii Kiyoshige

Torii Kiyoshige was an artist active across the mid-Edo period in Japan, with documented creative activity spanning the years 1716 through 1763. Though not explicitly associated with a specific artistic school in available records, the subject matter of his surviving works confirms his role as a key practitioner of ukiyo-e, specializing in woodblock prints depicting theatrical and warrior themes.

Kiyoshige is best known for his yakusha-e, or actor prints, which captured leading figures of the Kabuki stage. Titles such as The Actor Nakamura Nakazo as a Warrior, The Actor Sanogawa Mangiku I, and the joint portrait The Actors Anegawa Shinshiro I and Segawa Kikunojo I illustrate his focus on dramatic figure studies. Beyond the theater, his prints also explored historical narratives, as seen in The Warrior Asahina Yoshihide Lifting a Puppet of a Courtesan on a Go Board.

A total of ten prints and one Torii Kiyoshige painting are currently represented in major institutional holdings. His output is preserved in internationally recognized collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, testifying to the museum-quality relevance of his historical works. Due to the antiquity of these works, many of his images are considered public domain, enabling widespread availability of high-quality prints for scholars and enthusiasts.