風俗美人時計　子ノ刻　妾|Midnight: Mother and Sleepy Child

About this artwork

Midnight: Mother and Sleepy Child is a woodblock print by Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro from 1790, part of his series depicting the hours of the day in the lives of women. The work exemplifies Utamaro's mastery of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) during Japan's Edo period. The print shows a tender domestic scene of a mother holding her drowsy child at the hour of the rat (midnight). Utamaro captures the intimate moment with delicate lines depicting the mother's gentle expression and th...

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant ukiyo-e tradition of Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), Kitagawa Utamaro'sMidnight: Mother andy Child* (1790) captures a tender moment from his series *Fūzoku Bijin Tokei*, portraying women across the day's hours. This woodblock, or nishiki-e ("brocade picture"), a mother cradling her drowsy infant at the "hour of the rat"midnight), highlighting Utamaro's bijin-ga mastery—elegant portrayals of beautiful women in everyday life. Utamaro's innovative close-up composition draws viewers into the intimate scene, with delicate lines tracing the mother's gentle expression and the child's ...

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...