Untitled

Kitagawa Utamaro

1790s · Woodblock print; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

Utamaro was the first artist to use okubi-e, the large-head portrait, to depict women. This format allows him to focus solely on the facial features critical in conveying a woman's emotions, while the elimination of the background removes all narrative from the print. In this picture, Utamaro represent the bather as an icon; the robe, towel and slightly tousled hair become her symbols. Her refreshed mood is shown by her squinting eyes and slightly open mouth, as if she is sighing in relief. Unlike Harunobu, who focuses on color harmony, Utamaro uses only a few simple colors, so as not to disturb his concentration on the figure.

Artist

Kitagawa Utamaro

Date

1790s

Medium

Woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1914