Buncho (fl. c. 1765-92). N.: Ippitsusai Seishi.2 F.N.: Kishi Uemon.3 Go: Buncho,4 Hajintei,5 Soyoan.6 Biog.: Ukiyo-e painter, printmaker. A samurai, in later life was persuaded by his samurai friends to abandon printmaking. Lived in Edo. First studied Kano painting; later influenced by Harunobu. In 1770, collaborated with Katsukawa Shunsho to produce Ehon Butai Ogi, an illustrated book in three volumes of half-length fan portraits of stage celebrities. His paintings are rare and are considered by some experts as better than his prints. A designer of hosoban and chuban of actors and bijin; his actor prints are less violent and robust than those of Shunsho, but have somewhat the same depiction of individual facial characteristics. A rather individual, distinguished artist far better known as a print designer than a painter. Great elegance of drawing, with deiicate line and subtle color; the best of his female figures very graceful. A highly persona! style with mannerist tendencies. Coil.: Albertina; Alien; Art (1), (la); Ashmolean; Atami; British; Brooklyn; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Fine (California); Fitz-william; Fogg; Freer; Honolulu; Metropolitan; Minneapolis; Musee (2); Museum (1), (3); Nelson; Newark; Ostasia-tiska; Osten-eichisches; Portland: Rhode Island; Riccar; Rietberg; Staatliche; Tokyo (1); Victoria; Waseda; Worces-ter; Yale. Bib.: Binyon (1), (3); BK 30; Ficke; Fujikake (3) 2; GNB 17; Hillier (4) 1, (7); Japanese (la); Japanische (2); K 242, 836; Kikuchi; Kimst; Lane; Ledoux (1); Michener (1), (3); Morrison 2; Narazaki (2); NBZ 5; NHBZ 3; .Nikiihitsu (1) 2; Noguchi (1); SBZ 10; Schmidt; Shibui (1);