Kitchen Scene
Original title: Kitchen Scene
kurzbeschreibung
Kitagawa Utamaro, a master of ukiyo-e, made this diptych of woodblock prints around 1794–95. A group of women and a child have gathered at a water pump in a kitchen. Ink and colour on paper form the basis; the sheet dates from the Edo period.
Description
Several figures in traditional Japanese dress stand and sit around a water pump. On the right, two women are seated; one holds a teapot and pours water into a cup, while the other sits just to her left and looks toward the pump. A child stands on the left, watching the pouring. The clothing is richly patterned and coloured, with warm beige, pink and green tones set off by red and blue. Buckets and containers can be made out behind the figures. Light falling from above brings out the textures of the fabrics and objects.
Context
Utamaro ranked among the leading artists of ukiyo-e and devoted himself mainly to images of women. The kitchen scene was made in the Edo period, an era of cultural flourishing and growing urbanisation in Japan. Everyday scenes of this kind were popular in woodblock printing and offered glimpses into the domestic life of the city population. The diptych was probably made either as part of a series or as an independent work for the collector market.
Impact
The account feels quiet and intimate, focused entirely on everyday domesticity. Warm colours and clear contours give the sheet a harmonious yet lively presence. The viewer gains an insight into the private life of the Edo period, with the elegance of the figures standing out in particular.
Technique
Fine lines and precise detail define both woodblock prints, printed with ink and colours on paper. Several printing passes were needed to lay down the colours; warm tones predominate and emphasise the patterns of the kimonos. The woodblock technique allowed the delicate structures to be reproduced exactly.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)