Rijst plantend meisje

About this artwork

Meisje met pijp in de mond, zittend tussen rijstplanten, hoed, ketel en tobbe met doek.

Art Historical Context

**Rijst Plantend Meisje (Rice-Planting Girl)** *Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1800–1825, color woodcut, 189 × 125 mm* Kitagawa Utamaro (3–1806), a master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" from Japan's Edo period—captures everyday beauty in this intimate color woodcut. Renowned for his bijin-ga (images of beautiful women), Utamaro elevates ordinary figures with graceful lines and vibrant hues, printed via the collaborative woodblock process where artisans carved blocks for each color layer. This small-scale print, typical of mass-produced ukiyo-e affordable to urban merchants, reflects...

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...