歌撰恋之部 夜毎に逢恋|A Young Woman Reading A Letter
1790s
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
14 1/2 x 10 1/8 in. (36.8 x 25.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1914
Accession Number
JP147
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Kitagawa Utamaro's woodblock print *A Young Woman Reading a Letter* (from the series *Utaawase Koi no Bu*, ca. 1790s) captures a of intimate longing. This *ukiyo-e* masterpiece, measuring 14½ × 10⅛ inches, depicts a graceful young woman absorbed in a love letter, her expression blending anticipation and reverie. Produced using ink and color on paper through the meticulous woodblock process—involving carvers, printers, and publishers—it exemplifies the "pictures of the floating world" that celebrated everyday pleasures amid urban life in Tok...
About the Artist
Kitagawa Utamaro · 1753–1806
Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753-1806) was one of the most celebrated masters of ukiyo-e woodblock printing, revolutionizing the art of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) during Japan's Edo period. Born Kitagawa Ichitaro, his early life remains shrouded in mystery, with conflicting accounts placing his birth in Kyoto, Osaka, Yoshiwara in Edo (modern Tokyo), or Kawagoe in Musashi Province. Under the t...