A Life Bridging Tradition and the Floating World Chōbunsai Eishi, born Hosoda Tokitomi in 1756 in Edo (modern-day Tokyo), occupied a fascinating position within the world of eighteenth-century Japanese art. Unlike many ukiyo-e masters who rose from more humble origins, Eishi was born into a well-established samurai family—a lineage that initially steered him toward the refined techniques of the Kanō school of painting. This early training instilled in him a deep appreciation for classical aesthetics and meticulous draftsmanship, qualities that would later distinguish his work even as he embr…