Ukiyo-e painters: The Art of Sugimura Jihei

Sugimura Jihei was a Japanese ukiyo-e printmaker who flourished from approximately 1681 to 1703. A follower of Hishikawa Moronobu, Sugimura illustrated at least 70 books, and created a number of large size prints along with many of the more standard sizes and formats.

Judging from his extant works, it appears that Sugimura, who preferred (unlike most ukiyo-e artists) to use his surname rather than his given name, specialized in shunga, or erotic prints. Some scholars judge his personal flamboyant and decorative style to be even more erotic than that of Hishikawa Moronobu. Sugimura often hid his signature in the folds of women's clothing.