The Oiran Hinazuru of Chojiya Standing upon a Pile of Futon
Original title: The Oiran Hinazuru of Chojiya Standing upon a Pile of Futon
kurzbeschreibung
Kitagawa Utamaro made this color woodblock print around 1794. It shows the oiran Hinazuru of the Chojiya house standing with two attendants on a stacked pile of futons. The print belongs to a series on the beauties of the quarter and is printed in ink and color on paper.
Description
Hinazuru forms the still center of the image, dressed in a richly patterned kimono and wearing elaborate hair ornaments. To her left and right stand two women in traditional robes, also on the futons; one holds a parasol, the other raises a hand in a gesture. Flowering branches and a cropped window frame close off the back. Pink, orange, and brown set the warm tonal range, broken by white and gray; the layout places the oiran in the middle and balances her with the attendants at the sides.
Context
During the Edo period, when Utamaro made this print, pictures of courtesans were a mainstay of ukiyo-e. Stacked futons recur in such motifs and point to prosperity and the luxurious life of pleasure quarters like Yoshiwara. The series the print comes from gathered famous oiran from various houses and also served as advertising for those establishments.
Impact
A calm, almost ceremonial mood emanates from the print, carried by the symmetrical arrangement and warm tones. The costly garments and the women's elevated position on the futons surround the subject with prestige and erotic appeal.
Technique
This nishiki-e woodblock print used several blocks, each printing a separate area of color. Clear black outlines contain the pink, orange, and brown passages, which are applied in cleanly separated layers. At roughly 30.8 x 21.6 cm, the sheet corresponds to the chuban format common for single prints.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)