Konishi Hirosada (Gosotei Hirosada, Utagawa Hirosada)

Konishi Hirosada (小西 廣貞) (fl. c. 1819–1863) was the most prolific Osaka-based designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints during the late Edo period. Like most producers of kamigata-e (上方絵)—prints originating in the Osaka and Kyoto regions—he specialized in yakusha-e actor prints. Hirosada is particularly known for his diptychs and triptychs, and for his many ōkubi-e portraits of the leading actors on the Osaka kabuki stage during his day.

Although Hirosada has been acknowledged as "the most important and prolific mid-nineteenth century Osaka designer," little is known about his personal life. Those biographies which refer to his life dates identify his birth year as unknown and the year of his death as 1864 or 1865. Art historians link his activity to between 1810 and 1865. He is believed to have apprenticed with prominent Osaka artist Utagawa Kunimasu (歌川国升), and to have studied alongside Kunimasu in Edo in the early 1830s under Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞).

Following the relaxation of the Tempō Reforms in 1847, Hirosada became a major designer of medium-sized chūban prints, the format championed by his mentor Kunimasu. He was highly prolific, working mainly in the kabuki-e and yakusha-e genres. He is particularly known for his many ōkubi-e (lit. "large head") portraits of the leading actors on the Osaka kabuki stage, which he began to produce in 1841. As a testament to his productivity, Gerstle notes, "In the period up to 1852 Hirosada designed approximately 800 single-sheet prints, making him the most prolific of the Osaka print artists by far and unquestionably a 'professional'."

Hirosada produced designs for a number of Osaka-based publishing houses including Kitakagawa, Kyoisa, Isakichi, Kawato, Tenki and Meikōdō. Among his students were the artists Hironobu (広信), Sadayuki (貞幸) and Sadahiro II (貞廣二代). The latter succeeded Hirosada as both Sadahiro II and Hirosada II.