吾妻美人ゑらみ|A Tea-house Waitress

Kitagawa Utamaro

ca. 1795 · Album of eighty-nine prints; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

Utamaro dramatically changes the image of the teahouse beauty in this half-length portrait of Okita, the famous waitress of the Naniwa-ya teahouse in Edo. He depicts Okita as not only a local beauty but also as a subject of admiration, an ideal woman. Eliminating every narrative element, he goes so far as to create a pure icon. The cup and tray, like attributes in a religious painting, now serve only to identify her as a teahouse waitress. The silver mica, which Utamaro is credited with being the first to use, shines like a mirror, making the figure stand out as if in bold relief. It also brightens the entire scene and glorifies Okita's beauty.

Artist

Kitagawa Utamaro

Date

ca. 1795

Medium

Album of eighty-nine prints; ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1919