Seiro nana Komachi
1795 - 1800
Medium
color woodcut
Dimensions
254; 364
About this artwork
height 364 mm x width 254 mm
Art Historical Context
**Seiro Nana Komachi** is a captivating color woodcut by Kitagawa Utamaro, one of the foremost masters of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") from late 18th-century Japan. Created between 1795 and 1800, this print belongs to a series that portrays seven courtesans from the Yoshiwara district in Edo (modern Tokyo), each likened to Ono no Komachi—a legendary Heian-era poetess famed for her ethereal beauty and tragic love stories. Measuring 364 mm high by 254 mm wide, it exemplifies Utamaro's signature bijin-ga style, celebrating the elegance and allure of women with exquisite detail. Uta...
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...