Kitagawa Utamaro (1753 – 1806)
Nationality | Japanese |
Where Artist Lived | Edo, Japan |
Associated Movements | Ukiyo-e period |
Famous Artworks | Three Beauties of the Present Day (1793) Needlework (1794) Women Playing in the Mirror (1797) |
Kitagawa Utamaro was born in Edo in 1753 and is regarded as one of the most famous Japanese artists regarding the Ukiyo-e style of woodblock paintings and prints. Utamaro was also famous for his Japanese drawings, which featured large-headed women. Utamaro’s style also varied to include natural studies, in particular, a series of illustrated books about insects.
- Portrait of Utamaro, drawn in 1931; 井上和雄編 渡辺版画店 1931, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Utamaro’s artwork eventually reached the shores of Europe, where it was well received. His emphasis on shadow and light and his application of partial views were said to have greatly influenced many European Impressionists.
When European artists referred to the “Japanese influence”, they were usually referring to the work of Kitagawa Utamaro.
- Three Beauties of the Present Day (1793)
Date | 1793 |
Medium | Color woodblock print |
Dimensions (cm) | 37.9 x 24.9 |
Where It Is Housed | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
This composition depicts three women in a triangular formation. The women were all celebrities at the time and were regular subjects of the artist’s work. Each female figure is adorned with clothing bearing their family crests. Despite their highly stylized faces, one can still make out the individual characteristics portrayed on each face, which differed from the usual style of portraying faces noted in the works of artists who preceded Utamaro.
- Three Beauties of the Present Day (c. 1793) by Kitagawa Utamaro; Kitagawa Utamaro, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
This form of art was very popular in the 17th to 19th centuries, with subjects that focused on everyday life, including kabuki actors and courtesans, as well as those associated with the pleasure districts of Japanese culture. These kinds of prints were created primarily for advertising the local areas of entertainment.
Today, “Three Beauties of the Present Day” is considered a masterpiece and is the best example of Utamaro’s earlier style.
