Two Tori-oi, or Itinerant Women Musicians of the Eta Class
Original title: Two Tori-oi, or Itinerant Women Musicians of the Eta Class
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike related prints that feature solitary female musicians, this design brings two Tori-oi of the Eta class together in performance. Kitagawa Utamaro executed the scene as a woodblock print in ink and color on paper; the sheet measures 38.1 × 26.7 cm. No date is recorded.
Description
Two women in kimono and obi stand side by side: the left holds a stringed instrument, the right a large, flat instrument resembling a shamisen. Both wear elaborate hairstyles and headpieces. Behind them, two more female musicians appear against a mountain landscape with a single peak. On the right, a wooden-framed window opens; in the lower right corner sits a small picture of a pair of cats. Earth tones, blue, and red dominate the palette, and the lines are clear and high in contrast.
Context
Utamaro ranks among the defining masters of ukiyo-e in late eighteenth-century Japan. The Eta class was socially marginalized and often associated with music and entertainment professions. It was not unusual for Edo-period woodblock prints to take up such marginalized groups: interest in exotic and socially marginal figures was widespread. This sheet belongs to a series or album that explored the lives of the Eta.
Impact
The symmetrical arrangement and clear colors give the print a calm, balanced appearance. Because a everyday subject and a landscape background come together, the image acquires a poetic note. The detailed patterns of the clothing and the precise linework attest to Utamaro's skill in figure woodblock prints.
Technique
Ink and color were printed on paper; the color was applied with woodblocks. Multiple printing passes produced the strong contrasts. Fine lines and flat areas of color correspond to the technique of ukiyo-e woodblock printing.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)