Posted by John Fiorillo on December 28, 1998 at 14:34:34:
In Reply to: Collaborating artists? posted by Roger on December 27, 1998 at 19:01:42:
Response from JF:
Yes, there are many examples in which two or more artists collaborated on the same composition. Some were single designs, others were parts of a series. An artist might design the entire composition for one sheet in a polyptych (such as might be the case with your triptych) or design one element in a single composition (such as the various examples of Hiroshige I or II drawing the landscapes while Kunisada I or II designed the figures). Collaborations of this kind were more common in 19th C. ukiyo-e, but there are certainly examples in 18th C. ukiyo-e. For example, Shunei and Utamaro collaborated on at least three prints in an amusing untitled set circa 1803 in which Shunei drew sumo wrestlers amusing courtesans at party games. Utamaro also joined Shunchô in a composition where they each drew a single manzai dancer, circa early 1790s.