歌川国貞 （三代歌川豊国）画 「六玉顔」 山吹を持つ光氏|Mitsuuji with Mountain Roses (Yamabuki), from the series “Six Jewel Faces” (Mu tama-gao)
mid-to-late 1830s
Medium
Uncut fan print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 9 × 11 3/4 in. (22.9 × 29.8 cm) Sheet: 9 × 11 3/4 in. (22.9 × 29.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Alan and Barbara Medaugh Gift, 2019
Accession Number
2019.3
Art Historical Context
This delightful uncut fan print by Utagawa Kunis (also known as Kunisada I or 三代歌川豊国), from the mid-to-late1830s, capturesMitsuuji with Mountain Roses (Yamabuki)* from his series *Six Jewel Faces* (*Mu-gao*). Produced during Edo period (16151868), it showcases Kunisada's mastery of ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" genre that celebrated beauty, theater, and everyday elegance. The artist, one of the most prolific woodblock print designers of his time, was renowned for his vibrant depictions of bijin-ga—beautiful women—with jewel-like facial features symbolizing idealized allure. Pr...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kunisada · 1786–1864
**Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865)** Born in 1786 in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo), Utagawa Kunisada hailed from a family with a hereditary ferry-boat service that provided financial stability, allowing him to pursue art from a young age. His father, an amateur poet of note, died shortly after his birth, leaving young Sumida Shōgorō (Kunisada's childhood name) to nurture his evident talent...