Utagawa Toyohiro, "Clearing Mist at Nihon Bridge," 1804-18
Ken Johnson writes: “The cult of celebrity and the commercialization of art are not unique to the West. In 19th-century Japan kabuki actors and high-priced geishas were idolized by commoners, and the sale of colorful woodcut prints portraying them became a big, competitive business.”
Photo: The Chazen Museum of Art
