Three Intoxicated Courtesans
Original title: Three Intoxicated Courtesans
kurzbeschreibung
Kitagawa Utamaro's triptych "Three Drunken Courtesans" from the 1790s presents three women in traditional Japanese dress within an interior. Each of the three colour woodblock prints on paper measures 32.7 cm in height and 21.6 cm in width. The work captures an everyday occurrence from the pleasure quarters: one woman stands holding a glass, while the other two are seated.
Description
A symmetrical layout governs the image: three female figures occupy the centre, while shoji doors and flower arrangements form the setting. One woman stands with a glass in hand; the other two sit and appear to be deep in conversation. The garments are richly decorated with floral patterns; the palette remains subdued, dominated by earth tones with occasional bright accents. Evenly distributed light without harsh shadows suggests an indoor scene.
Context
Utamaro created this print in the late Edo period, when woodblock prints featuring courtesans (bijin-ga) were enormously popular in Japan. Showing drunken women was unusual, as courtesans were typically portrayed in art as idealized and controlled. The 1790s are regarded as Utamaro's most productive period, during which he became known for his portraits of women from the pleasure quarters. The triptych format allowed a continuous scene to be extended across three sheets, a common device for narrative depictions.
Impact
The muted colours and symmetrical arrangement give the scene a calm, almost intimate atmosphere. By depicting intoxication, the image breaks with the usual conventions of courtesan portrayal and thus feels immediate and true to life. The ornamental clothing contrasts with the everyday action, creating a tension between elegance and human weakness.
Technique
Through multiple printing passes, colours were applied as woodblock with ink and colour on paper, and the subdued palette points to a careful coordination of pigments. Faces and clothing patterns are defined with precise linework characteristic of Utamaro's ukiyo-e style.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)