Hanazuma of Hyōgoya, Kenbishi of Sakagami
Original title: "Hanazuma of Hyōgoya, Kenbishi of Sakagami” from the series The Peers of Saké Likened to Select Denizens of Six Houses (Natori zake rokkasen: Hyōgoya Hanazuma, Sakagami no Kenbishi)
kurzbeschreibung
Kitagawa Utamaro created this colour woodblock print on paper around 1794 as part of his series 'Natori zake rokkasen'. It shows a seated woman in a kimono with a floral pattern and hair styled high; beside her stands a basket containing a plant.
Description
The layout centres on the seated woman in the foreground, while the basket with the plant fills the background. Her kimono displays a floral design, a sash accentuates the waist, and flowers adorn her piled-up hair. The woman's gaze is directed to the left, and her posture appears calm and pensive. The colour palette relies on pastel tones with clear light-dark contrasts; the light is evenly distributed.
Context
In this series, made around 1794, Utamaro linked sake brands with beauties from the pleasure quarters. The figure is Hanazuma, a well-known beauty from the Hyōgoya, while Kenbishi was a famous sake brand. Such series were highly popular in the Edo period, as they combined local products with ideals of female beauty.
Impact
The quiet pose and the sideways glance give the sheet an elegant and restrained aura. Pastel colours and clear linework produce a fine, decorative effect characteristic of Utamaro's portraits of women.
Technique
As a nishiki-e, a multi-stage colour woodblock print with ink and colour on paper, the work shows sharp contours and cleanly separated areas of colour. The format of 37.5 × 24.1 cm corresponds to an ōban woodblock print.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)