Moronobu was not the “founder” of ukiyo-e, as some early scholars surmised. Instead, he made an assimilation of inchoate ukiyo-e designs by previous artists, a consolidation of genre and early ukiyo-e painting and prints. It was Moronobu who created the first truly mature form of ukiyo-e, in a style of great strength and presence that would set the standards for generations of artists who followed. Moronobu’s mastery of line has often been cited in assessments of his oeuvre, as well as the interactive arrangement of figures, which seem always to serve a dramatic function not usually seen in the work of his predecessors.
菱川师宣（元和4年（1618年）？ – 元禄7年6月4日（旧曆）1694年7月25日）是江户时代的浮世绘画家。他有「浮世绘之祖」之称。菱川师宣最为知名的作品是见返り美人図，被认为是历史上第一张浮世绘。从美人的发型到身上的饰品，以及身上的大红大紫是宋朝官位三品以上的人才可穿着的颜色，代表了当时江户时代的流行穿戴。大红大紫也是这个意思。
