Utagawa Kunisada II (1823 ~ 1880)

Utagawa Kunisada II, initially known as Kunimasa III (三代目国政), was the first and most prominent pupil of Kunisada, also known as Toyokuni III (三代目豊国). Kunisada II adopted this name (though he never signed as "II") from 1950 to 1951 when he inherited the leadership of the Utagawa school.
After his master's death, he changed his name to Toyokuni III, but with three artists already having that name, he is now widely known as Toyokuni IV (四代目豊国).
Throughout his career, Kunisada II produced over 40 series, mainly depicting actors, in addition to prints of beautiful women, shunga, and literature-inspired works, working in the style of his master but never achieving the same level of success.
Among his most famous works are the series "The Tale of the Eight Dog Heroes" (八犬伝) and "The Tale of Genji" (源氏物語). Although his popularity began to wane in the Meiji period, he continued making prints until 1874.
Kunisada II is known for his use of bright aniline colors and his prints that represent the exaggerated style of late ukiyo-e.