color woodcut, ink, paper, 41x26.5 cm, artist's signature, silver mica in background part
The woodcut depicts a young woman just after getting out of the bath, wiping her hands with a towel. The beauty is wearing a loose summer kimono (yukata) with a dynamic pattern of waves. Her hair is pinned up in a shell-like bun and secured with a decorative pin. Her exposed cleavage, flirtatious gaze and slight smile epitomize the then-current image of a playful and flirtatious woman. The original editions, like this reissue, were printed with powdered silver mica (kira-zuri) in the background, which gave the composition its characteristic shimmering sheen.
Utamaro has been called an artist without a biography. The best source of information about his life is his work and rich artistic output, for he left behind some three thousand woodcuts. Utamaro was associated with the artistic and literary circles of Yoshiwara, a popular pleasure district in Edo. He revolved in the company of the greatest writers, poets, artists and publishers of his time. He was born in 1753 and began taking lessons at the studio of Toriyama Sekien as early as 17, while creating his first works. In 1780 he met publisher Tsutaya Yuzaburo, one of the most influential people in Edo at the time. He took up residence in his house, at the entrance to Yoshiwara, and met Tori Kiyonaga there, who was a fundamental influence on the young Utamaro's maturing style. During this time, he began to successfully design books, primarily erotic books. In 1789, a ban on the publication of illustrated books and criticism of the establishment was brought out, causing his artistic interests to be strongly directed toward the ukiyo-e woodcut. Between 1791 and 1797, he created a famous series of woodcuts with portrait studies of women, scenes from the lives of Yoshiwara courtesans, and works with love themes drawn from classical poetry. In 1804. Utamaro broke the law and the ban on publication for which he was sentenced to three days in the dungeon and two months of wearing shackles. He died in 1806.
By the end of the 18th century. Utamaro became one of the most prominent woodcut artists in Edo. He created the ideal of a Japanese woman, primarily a courtesan, a prostitute, and elevated her to the status of a goddess. He developed an easily recognizable style, specific only to himself, of depicting the female figure, dressed in an ornate kimono, with her hair elaborately pinned up. He is widely considered to be the one who most fully expressed the essence of femininity in Japanese culture. His art is a great praise of intimacy.
In the second half of the 20th century, Japanese artists and publishers collaborated to reproduce the famous woodblock prints for interested collectors looking for rare designs. New blocks were created, and the prints were painstakingly printed by artisans using the same method as the 19th century originals - one block for each color. Reissues of woodblock prints are an opportunity to collect and enjoy the famous designs by renowned Japanese artists.
