Print

Art Historical Context

This exquisite woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniy, a master of Japan's ukiyo-e tradition, dates to the 19th century during the Edo period (5–1868). with ink and color on paper, it measures 13⅝ × 9½ inches and exemplifies the vibrant, accessible art form that captured the "floating world" of everyday pleasures, fashion, and beauty. Kuniyoshi, a prolific artist from the renowned Utagawa school, was celebrated for his imaginative depictions of warriors, ghosts, and elegant women, blending technical precision with whimsical flair. Woodblock printing was a collaborative marvel of Edo-era craftsmanship: the artist's design was carved into cherry wood blocks, inked, and hand-printed in multiple colors to produce affordable multiples for a wide audience. This print, tagged with "Women," likely showcases bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), highlighting graceful figures in kimono that reflected contemporary ideals of femininity, theater culture, and urban life in old Tokyo (Edo). Its bold lines and vivid hues demonstrate Kuniyoshi's skill in evoking movement and emotion. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department as a gift from the Estate of Samuel Isham in 1914, this work offers a window into Japan's artistic golden age, where prints democratized beauty and storytelling for all classes.

About the Artist

Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1797–1861

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was born in Edo to the silk-dyer Yanagiya Kichiyemon, originally bearing the childhood name Yoshisaburō. From a young age, he assisted in his family's pattern design work, which sharpened his innate mastery of color and textile motifs that would permeate his later prints. At around twelve years old, his prodigious drawing skills drew the attention of the renowned Utag...