Young Woman Blowing a Popen (glass noisemaker), from the series “Ten Classes of Women’s Physiognomy” (Fujo ninsō juppen)
Original title: Young Woman Blowing a Popen (glass noisemaker), from the series “Ten Classes of Women’s Physiognomy” (Fujo ninsō juppen)
kurzbeschreibung
Kitagawa Utamaro made this print around 1792–93, showing a young Japanese woman blowing a popen, a glass noisemaker. The colour woodblock on paper belongs to his series Ten Types of Physiognomy of Women, in which he captured scenes from women's everyday lives.
Description
The woman turns her back to the viewer; her head is slightly turned to the left as she puts the mouthpiece of the glass instrument to her lips. An elaborate hair ornament with a fan adorns her hair, and she wears a kimono with a pink-and-white check pattern over a green undergarment with geometric decoration. A plain beige ground sets off the figure. Chinese characters appear at the upper right, likely giving the title and artist's name.
Context
The series dates from around 1792–93, when Japanese colour woodblock printing (nishiki-e) was flourishing in the Edo period. In it Utamaro focused on the facial expressions and gestures of women in daily life. The popen, also known as a 'glass ball', served as a children's toy or festival item and points to the period's delight in everyday pleasures. By those years Utamaro was already famous for his elegant portrayals of women (bijin-ga).
Impact
The quiet, intimate moment radiates a silent cheerfulness and naturalness. The restrained colours and the unusual back view draw attention to the precise linework and the details of the clothing.
Technique
This print uses woodblock printing with ink and colour on paper. In this process, colours are applied to wooden blocks and printed one after another onto the paper, which allows for sharp contours and even areas of colour.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)