Born in Hakata (Fukuoka Prefecture), Kobayakawa Kiyoshi is both known as a painter and as a printmaker. After studying with Kaburaki Kiyokata, he exhibited Japanese-style paintings at various government-sponsored exhibitions. His prints were made in the 1930s: Kiyoshi Kobayakawa's decade. In the 20s Ito Shinsui and Torii Kotondo had started a tradition of modern bijin prints. Kiyoshi Kobayakawa's prints fit in wonderfully well. Striking are his depictions of "modern life" in Tokyo in the turbulent 30s. His works were included in the 1936 Toledo (USA) exhibition. He worked for various publishers. In the 1950s a number of his prints were reprinted by the publisher Takamizawa. Though the quality of these reprints is quite good (like the reprints of Goyo's and Kotondo's work) they should not be mistaken for the original prints.
