Ezakiya Kichibei (江崎屋吉兵衛) (publisher ca 1773 – 1852)

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Biography:

Edo print publisher (Marks 058). Artists published by this house includes Bunrō, Eisen, Eizan, Hiroshige, Hokusai, Kiyomitsu II, Kuninaga, Kunisada, Kuniyasu, Kuniyoshi, Sadafusa, Sadahide, Sadamasu, Sadatora, Shinsai, , Shun'ei, Shuntei, Toyokuni I, Utamaro and Yoshitama.

[Artist in the Lyon Collection published by this house are highlighted in bold type.]

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"The first known prints produced by Ezakiya Kichibei date from around 1773. During that time he predominantly issued Shun'ei's actor portraits, but later engaged Toyokuni in this field. In the 1820s and 1830s it was Kunisada who designed most of the actor prints that Ezakiya issued. The majority of them are standard compositions often found during that period.

Ezakiya tried to produce a balance of actor and beauty prints. In the 1790s, Ezakiya put many series of beautiful women by Tamagawa Shūchō on the market. From time to time he was able to engage Utamaro who also designed beauties in full length and half-length. Ezakiya stayed in this field and after Utamaro passed away turned to Eizan and late Eisen. In the 1830 Ezakiya issued a number of beauty series by Kunisada like "Humorous Matching Pictures" (Gi e-kyōdai)."

Quoted from: Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 by Andreas Marks, p. 212.