Hiroshige II

Who was Hiroshige II?

Hiroshige II was a designer of ukiyo-e and Japanese woodblock prints. He was born Suzuki Chinpei. He became a student and the adopted son of Hiroshige, then was given the artistic identity of, “Shigenobu”. When the senior Hiroshige died in 1858, Shigenobu married his master’s daughter, Otatsu. At that time he adopted the art-name "Hiroshige". About 1865, the marriage was dissolved. Hiroshige II then moved to Yokohama and resumed using the name Shigenobu. He also signed some of his work as Ryūshō.

Another pupil of the first Hiroshige, Shigemasa, then married the master's daughter, Otatsu, and also began using the name Hiroshige; this artist now is known as Hiroshige III.