Geisha and Attendant on a Rainy Night
Original title: Geisha and Attendant on a Rainy Night
kurzbeschreibung
Two women stand together beneath a large umbrella, sheltering from the rain. This colour woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro dates from around 1797 and depicts the pair in traditional Japanese dress, caught in a downpour.
Description
On the left, a woman holds a cup; her companion on the right carries a bowl, and both stand under a broad, brightly coloured umbrella. Their hair is elaborately dressed, their robes patterned with flowers. Vertical strokes suggest the falling rain, while a dark object in the foreground, likely a case, anchors the lower edge. Characters appear at the left. Blue, green, red and gold shape the palette.
Context
Kitagawa Utamaro ranks among the foremost masters of ukiyo-e in late eighteenth-century Japan. He made his name with images of women, above all geishas and courtesans of the Yoshiwara pleasure district. This print belongs to the Edo period, an era of cultural flourishing and vibrant city life, and Utamaro captured the everyday world and beauty of women in numerous woodblocks.
Impact
The rainy mood and the closeness of the two women lend the image a quiet, intimate atmosphere. Crisp outlines and harmonious colours give it the aesthetic balance so characteristic of ukiyo-e.
Technique
A woodblock print in ink and colour on paper: the design is cut into wooden blocks and then printed onto paper in colour. Precise linework and flat areas of colour define the Japanese colour woodcut.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)