The Lady of Rokujo being Visited by the Princess Aoi
Original title: The Lady of Rokujo being Visited by the Princess Aoi
kurzbeschreibung
The encounter between the Lady of Rokujō and Princess Aoi, a subject drawn from the classic Genji Monogatari, was captured by Kitagawa Utamaro around 1805 in a color woodblock print on paper. The sheet belongs to the ukiyo-e tradition and presents the two women in a carefully considered arrangement.
Description
Two women in traditional kimono occupy the foreground. The one on the left sits on a bench, her robe richly patterned with floral motifs, her upswept hair adorned with ornaments. The other stands and inclines her gaze toward the seated figure; her kimono bears leaf and flower patterns. A wooden wall with vertical slats closes off the rear, and a blossoming branch reaches into the picture from the upper left. Brown tones dominate the palette, punctuated by accents of blue and red; light falling from the left brings the figures forward.
Context
Utamaro made this print around 1805, late in his career, when he was already well known for his images of women. The subject comes from the 'Aoi' chapter of the Genji Monogatari, a celebrated tale of the Heian period. In the story the Lady of Rokujō and Princess Aoi are bound by a fraught relationship, and it is precisely this meeting that is recorded here. The print belongs to a series illustrating scenes from the Genji Monogatari.
Impact
A mood of quiet elegance arises from the calm layout and the finely worked patterns. The muted coloring and clear lines give the sheet a restrained, almost intimate presence.
Technique
The print was produced by woodblock, with ink and colors on paper. Precise contours and flat areas of color, achieved through several blocks, are typical of ukiyo-e.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)