Hofdame bij rivieroever

About this artwork

Een vrouw in hofkleding, met waaier in haar hand en zeer lang haar, staat naast een rivier. Met één gedicht. Het thema van de zes juwelen rivieren (Mutamagawa) is een klassiek thema in de Japanse dichtkunst en werd ook overgenomen in de beeldende kunst.

Art Historical Context

**Hofdame bij riviero (Court Lady by the Riverside)***Utagawa Sadakage, 1832* *Nishikie woodblock with metallic pigments and blindprinting 220 × 179 mm* This exquisite ukiyo-e print by Utagawa Sadak, a pupil of the renowned Utagawa school, a graceful court lady poised by a serene riverbank. Dressed in elegant hofkleding (court attire), she holds a fan delicately in one hand, her exceptionally long hair cascading like a silken waterfall—a symbol of beauty and refinement in Edo-period Japan. A single poem adorns the composition, evoking the timeless allure of nature and poetic tradition. The artwork draws from the classic Japanese literary theme of the *Mutamagawa Rokkasen*, or "Six Jewel Rivers," celebrated by six master poets from the Heian era (794–1185). This motif, blending poetry and landscape, transitioned seamlessly into visual arts during the 19th century, allowing artists like Sadakage to fuse literary heritage with the vibrant world of woodblock printing. Nishikie, or "brocade pictures," refers to these multicolored prints that mimicked luxurious textiles, enhanced here by shimmering metallic pigments for river reflections and blindprinting (gauffrage) for subtle texture on fabrics and hair. Sadakage's mastery of these techniques highlights ukiyo-e's technical innovation amid Japan's isolationist Edo period, offering visitors a window into bijin-ga (beautiful women) portrayals that romanticized courtly life. A petite yet poetic gem, it invites contemplation of beauty's enduring flow, much like the river itself.

About the Artist

Utagawa Sadakage · 1818–1844

**Utagawa Sadakage (歌川貞景, also written 貞影)** was a Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print designer and book illustrator active during the late Edo period. Born in 1818 and passing in 1844, he worked primarily in Edo and Osaka, producing a range of prints that reflected the vibrant popular culture of his time. Sadakage trained as an important pupil of the prolific master Utagawa Kunisada (also known as ...