Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900) is renowned as one of the greatest ukiyo-e artists of the 19th century. Almost his entire artistic life was dedicated to creating image records of kabuki theatre productions and the actors who starred in them, including such notables as Ichikawa Danjuro IX, Nakamura Shikan IV, and Onoe Kikugoro V. Kunichika constantly developed his own unique aesthetic style, always pushing the boundaries of ukiyo-e in bold and provocative new directions.

DOYENS OF DELIRIUM collects 100 of Kunichika's most striking and vivid kabuki actor portrait designs, in a testament to the enduring innovation and power of his prolific output. The selection presented here draws from two decades of the artist's work, and features a wide range of seminal kabuki subjects produced between 1864 and 1883 (after which his artistic focus turned more to the triptych format). Prints from the following series are included: Haiyu shiranami atari goketsu (1864); Satomi hakkenshi no uchi (1865-66); Chochidori juban-kiri (1868); Tokyo hana Kunichika manga (1872); Tokyo ichini date kurabe (1874); Kijutsu junishi no uchi (1877); Chimei junikagetsu no uchi (with Kawanabe Kyosai, 1882); Mitate hakkenden no uchi (1883); and Gishi meimei-den (1883, Kunichika's tribute to the 47 Ronin).

The prints are reproduced in full color and full page-size throughout.