Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿)

Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿) was an artist active across the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, documented between 1615 and 1753. His work primarily consists of prints, 15 examples of which are currently represented in major American museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Utamaro’s extant prints typically concentrate on the depiction of beautiful women, focusing on courtesans and domestic scenes. Notable examples illustrating his skill in this genre include the compositional study Three Courtesans and the more intimate portrait Woman and Child. His detailed representations of high-ranking figures are further evidenced by works such as Kisegawa of the Matsubaya, which derives from the series Comparing the Charms of Five Beauties (Gonin bijin aikyo kurabe), and Chōzan of Chōjiya from the Triptych of Beauties Before Blinds. His portfolio also includes detailed busts, exemplified by the print Bust of Woman with Loose Hair Holding Fan.

The artist’s documented works maintain museum-quality standards and are critical components of Japanese print collections worldwide. Since much of his work resides in the public domain, institutions often make Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿) prints available as downloadable artwork, ensuring their continued accessibility for study and appreciation.