Artwork Page for The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors

Details / Information for The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors

The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors

青楼遊君合鏡　玉屋内　春日野　歌浜

c. 1800

Kitagawa Utamaro 喜多川 歌麿

(Japanese, c. 1754–1806)
Culture
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Medium
color woodblock print
Measurements
39.1 x 26.1 cm (15 3/8 x 10 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Edward L. Whittemore 1930.217
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
235A Japanese
Print

Description

Kitagawa Utamaro was well known for his close-up portraits that belonged to a genre, or category, of images called bijinga (pictures of beautiful people). This print is from a series that invites comparisons of the attractiveness of different figures. It features two sex workers from an establishment in the Yoshiwara district of Edo (now Tokyo).
A vertical woodblock print depicts two courtesans with light skin tones facing right. In the upper two-thirds, their large black hair is adorned with fanned, yellow pins. They wear layered kimonos in muted orange, green, and black patterns. Japanese calligraphy occupies the upper right corner and center-left. Fine lines define their delicate features and small, parted mouths. The composition focuses on their torsos, with the foreground woman resting a hand against her chest.

The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors

c. 1800

Kitagawa Utamaro

(Japanese, c. 1754–1806)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork