Kawanabe Kyōsai

Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831–1889) was one of the most original and fearless artists of Japan's Edo-to-Meiji transition. Trained under ukiyo-e master Utagawa Kuniyoshi and the Kanō school, he fused rigorous technique with biting satire, earning the nickname "painting demon" for his vivid depictions of demons, skeletons, and everyday life — work bold enough to land him in prison.