Which ukiyo-e artist had a famously brief career lasting mainly from 1794 to 1795?

Tōshūsai Sharaku had a famously brief ukiyo-e career lasting mainly from 1794 to 1795.

Sharaku produced striking actor portraits for the publisher Tsutaya Jūsaburō. His prints are especially associated with kabuki actors shown in dramatic roles, often with expressive faces, exaggerated gestures, and an unusually candid approach to character.

The short period of activity has made Sharaku one of ukiyo-e’s enduring mysteries. Historical records provide little secure information about the artist’s identity, and many theories have proposed that Sharaku was a pseudonym for another person. No proposed identification has become universally accepted.

His brief output should not be confused with a lack of influence. Sharaku’s portraits are now among the most recognizable examples of Edo-period actor printmaking. The exact reason he stopped producing prints remains uncertain.