The Sixth Month (Rokugatsu), from an untitled series of genre scenes in the twelve months, with kyoka poems
c. 1792/93
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
24.9 × 18.6 (9 3/4 × 7 5/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
22087
Art Historical Context
Kitagawa Utamaro's *The Sixth Month (Rokugatsu)*, created around 1792–93, captures the vibrant spirit of summer in Edo-period Japan (modern-day Tokyo). Part of an untitled series of genre scenes depicting the twelve months, this color woodblock print features intimate daily life—likely women enjoying seasonal pastimes amid lush greenery—with playful kyoka poems inscribed alongside. Utamaro, a master of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), excelled in bijin-ga, his elegant portrayals of beautiful women that celebrated fleeting pleasures and urban sophistication during Japan's Tokugawa er...
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...