From the artist's life
Utamaro did not invent the ōkubi-e format (Katsukawa Shunshō introduced it), but he made bijin-ōkubi-e famous — large bust portraits of beauties focused on the face and expression.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaUkiyo-e
Kitagawa Utamaro
Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753–1806) was the great master of the Japanese ukiyo-e portrait, celebrated above all for his sensitive, idealised images of beautiful women. His elegant bijin-ga defined the genre.
Utamaro's prints reached Europe and shaped the Japonisme that inspired the Impressionists.
- The master of bijin-ga, idealised portraits of beautiful women.
- Pioneered the large-head close-up print.
- His work helped ignite European Japonisme.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- Three Beauties of the Present DayOn ArtAtlas
- UtamakuraListed for reference
- Shinagawa no Tsuki, Yoshiwara no Hana, and Fukagawa no YukiListed for reference
- Hari-shigotoListed for reference
- Kasumi-ori Musume HinagataListed for reference
- Fujin Sōgaku Jittai and Fujo Ninsō JuppinListed for reference
- Kōmei Bijin RokkasenListed for reference
- On Top and Beneath Ryōgoku BridgeListed for reference
- Sugatami Shichinin KeshōListed for reference
- Kasen Koi no BuListed for reference
- Hokkoku Goshiki-zumiListed for reference
Three Beauties of the Present Day
The three women are real Edo celebrities; they can be identified only by the crests on their kimonos.