Utamaro Kitagawa

Background

Utamaro Kitagawa was born in Edo (now Tokyo).

Education

Utamaro Kitagawa was a disciple of Sekien Toriyama.

Career

Utamaro Kitagawa gradually rose to fame by painting women of the gay quarters, but unlike the works of Kiyonaga Torii, who laid stress on realistic description, his works had an originality of their own. His wood blocks, painted during the early An-ei Era (1772- 1781) were highly praised, especially his close-ups, and it can be said during the years 1781-1789 Utamaro Kitagawa raised the art of Ukiyoe to its highest artistic level. This period is considered the golden age of Ukiyoe and it was mainly his genius that brought this about. Later his paintings of flowers, birds, fish and insects showed his great powers of observation and reproduction. Toward his end, he fell foul of the Shogun and was sentenced to be handcuffed. Utamaro Kitagawa died subsequently of an illness.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Ase o fuku onna (Woman Wiping Sweat), Ukiyo-e

    1798

  • Flowers of Edo: Young Woman's Narrative Chanting to the Shamisen

    1800

  • Three Beauties of the Present Day

    1793

  • Hari-shigoto ("Needlework")

    1794

  • Sugatami Shichinin Keshō

• print

  • Katō Kiyomasa at a party with Korean dancers