The Lady Tomimoto Toyohina Reading a Letter
Original title: The Lady Tomimoto Toyohina Reading a Letter
kurzbeschreibung
A woman is absorbed in a letter. Kitagawa Utamaro made this print in 1790 as a woodblock, worked in ink and color on paper.
Description
The reader holds a sheet of paper in both hands, her gaze fixed on it. She wears a yellow kimono held by a black obi with a red sash, and a yellow ornament sits in her upswept hair. The ground behind her stays plain and restrained. Chinese characters along the left edge give the artist's name and the title. The tones overall are muted, while the kimono and obi stand out strongly.
Context
The sheet dates from the Edo period, when woodblock portraits of beautiful women (bijinga) were in great demand. It shows Tomimoto Toyohina, a well-known beauty of those years. Such portraits often appeared as single sheets or within series, aimed at an urban public with an interest in fashion and culture.
Impact
Because the woman is wholly lost in her reading, the image gives off a calm, intimate mood. Clear lines and the restrained palette lend the sheet an elegant and quiet presence.
Technique
Ukiyo-e woodblock printing: the design was cut into wooden blocks and pulled onto paper with water-based colors. Fine, precisely cut lines and flatly applied color define this technique, which required several blocks, one for each color.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)