Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was one of the great masters of the Utagawa school, as much at home with quiet portraits as with his famous warrior prints. This sheet portrays Usugumo, a celebrated courtesan name of the Tamaya, a leading house in the Yoshiwara district of Edo.
The design is an aizuri-e, or blue-printed picture. After Prussian blue reached Japan, printmakers explored sheets worked almost entirely in shades of that one colour. Here it cools the whole image, the courtesan and her young attendant, the cherry blossom above, the standing lantern, into a calm and even key.
The result is a bijin-ga, a picture of a beautiful person, with the restraint of a near-monochrome palette. It suits a bedroom, a hallway, or a quiet living-room wall, and the soft blue sits easily with white, grey, and pale wood.
This artwork is made to order in three forms. The unframed poster is printed on heavy matte paper. The framed edition sits behind shatter-resistant ac . . . Read More >>
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was one of the great masters of the Utagawa school, as much at home with quiet portraits as with his famous warrior prints. This sheet portrays Usugumo, a celebrated courtesan name of the Tamaya, a leading house in the Yoshiwara district of Edo.
The design is an aizuri-e, or blue-printed picture. After Prussian blue reached Japan, printmakers explored sheets worked almost entirely in shades of that one colour. Here it cools the whole image, the courtesan and her young attendant, the cherry blossom above, the standing lantern, into a calm and even key.
The result is a bijin-ga, a picture of a beautiful person, with the restraint of a near-monochrome palette. It suits a bedroom, a hallway, or a quiet living-room wall, and the soft blue sits easily with white, grey, and pale wood.
This artwork is made to order in three forms. The unframed poster is printed on heavy matte paper. The framed edition sits behind shatter-resistant acrylic, lighter and safer than glass. The canvas option is satin-coated cotton, stretched over a solid wooden frame. Each format keeps the cool blue tone of the original.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Utagawa Kuniyoshi?
Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was a leading ukiyo-e artist of the Utagawa school, known for warrior prints, landscapes, and portraits alike.
Who is Usugumo?
Usugumo was a celebrated courtesan name carried by leading women of the Tamaya house in the Yoshiwara, the licensed pleasure quarter of Edo.
What is an aizuri-e?
An aizuri-e is a print worked mainly in blue. The look spread after the imported pigment Prussian blue became available in Japan.
What is bijin-ga?
Bijin-ga, pictures of beautiful people, is the ukiyo-e genre of fashionable women: their dress, their bearing, and their world.
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Japan historical period: Edo 江戸 (1603-1868)
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#Aizuri-E
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#Attendant
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#Bijin-Ga
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#Blue
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#Cherry Blossom
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#Courtesan
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#Edo Period
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#Geisha
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#Japanese Fashion
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#Japanese Woodblock Print
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#Kimono
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#Lantern
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#Oiran
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#Portrait
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#Traditional
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#Ukiyo-E
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#Utagawa Kuniyoshi
