The Blue House Painter: Kitagawa Utamaro, the man who introduced the art of bijinga to Western painters
Kitagawa Utamaro (born unknown – 1806). Utamaro, the master of bijin-ga (portraits of beautiful women). He was a close friend of Tsutaya Juzaburo. A girl playing a pop-a-pen. Kitagawa Utamaro is known as a central figure in the golden age of ukiyo-e, including the Kansei Three Beauties. He is known for his delicate portrayal of not only women’s appearances and charms, but also their inner selves and emotions, and his “Ookubie” (large-head painting) compositions elevated bijin-ga to the level of fine art.
Though he is said to have left behind over 2,600 works throughout his life, surprisingly little information is available about his personal life. While it is certain that he died in 1812 (at the age of 54) and was buried at Senkoji Temple in Asakusa (Matsugaya 1-chome, Taitō Ward), there is little information available about his birth year, childhood, or relatives. There is a theory that his birth year was 1863, but there is no concrete evidence, including the theory that his real name was Kitagawa Nobumi.
Utamaro studied under Toriyama Sekien of the Kano school. During his teenage years, he went by the name Sekikazu. Among the illustrations in the New Year’s scroll “Chiyo no Haru” is an illustration of an eggplant, signed “Illustrated by a young boy, Sekikazu.”
After that, he began calling himself Kitagawa Toyoaki. Several single-sheet nishiki-e prints of actors under the name Toyoaki still exist, and they are extremely valuable. The earliest known painting that confirms the artist’s use of the name Utamaro is as the illustrator of the yellow-covered book “Shinmō Daitsu Shinryaku Engi.” It is not until the 1780s, during the Tenmei period, that Utamaro’s name can be found on a single-sheet painting of beautiful women.
While other artists often depicted the glamorous costumes and events of Yoshiwara, Utamaro continued to depict both the everyday life and dark side of Yoshiwara. Furthermore, he was known for his ability to differentiate people through facial expressions and behavior, which was unusual for the time, and for his seductive portrayals of women, earning him the nickname “the artist of the blue mansion.”
Career and style
While details of his early life are unknown, he is believed to have been influenced by the Kano and Tosa schools. He later studied under Toriyama Sekien and distinguished himself through his illustrations for kibyōshi (yellow-covered books) and kyōka (comic poetry) books. From the late Tenmei period through the Kansei era (1789–1801), he produced numerous nishiki-e prints under the patronage of publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, gaining immense popularity within Edo townspeople culture. It is said that 70% of Utamaro’s works were sold by Kōshōdō.
Unlike the idealized images of beautiful women that had been portrayed up until then, Utamaro’s works realistically depict real women, such as courtesans of Yoshiwara, town girls, and teahouse poster girls. His technique of expressing subtle emotions, particularly through the subtle expressions of the eyes and mouths, sets him apart from other ukiyo-e artists of his time.
Major Works (14)
| Work name | overview |
|---|---|
| Selection of six famous beauties | This book depicts six highly acclaimed courtesans and geisha, conveying the class and elegance of these beautiful women. |
| Ten bodies of women’s studies | The idea is to infer a person’s personality from their facial features, and the diverse personalities of beautiful women are depicted. |
| Seiro Ninwaka Female Geisha Department | A series depicting Yoshiwara courtesans by class, depicting cultured and artistic women. |
| The Three Beauties of the Time | This famous composition depicts three beautiful women – a townswoman, a geisha, and a prostitute – and highlights the differences in their facial features. |
| The Three Beauties of the Kansei Era | This work is based on three real women who were famous during the Kansei era. |
| Poppin’ Woman | This masterpiece captures the image of a woman blowing a toy glass whistle as an everyday scene. |
| Beauty after bathing | This work depicts a relaxing moment after a bath, and is a mix of sexiness and cleanliness. |
| Poetry collection love section | This series is themed around love and waka poetry, and features beautiful, expressive women. |
| Hyakuchidori Kyokaai | It combines kyoka poetry with beautiful women and birds. It has been re-evaluated in Germany, and Kurt’s version is also famous. |
| A Parent’s Guide to Lessons | It is a moralistic work depicting a beautiful woman and her child, and deals with the themes of motherhood and education. |
| Ehonmushi Selection | This is a unique edition that combines insects and women, and combines witty humor with nature observation. |
| Abalone catching | This work depicts a female diver gathering shellfish, expressing the physical beauty of women and one aspect of their labor. |
| Seiro Picture Book Annual Event | This illustrated woodblock book depicts the annual events held in the red-light district. It is also a valuable record of Yoshiwara culture. |
| Snow, Moon, and Flowers | Gorgeous! A huge original painting over 5 meters wide. A poetic series depicting female figures against the backdrop of seasonal scenes of snow, the moon, and flowers. |
Later Years and Regulations
In 1804, Utamaro was punished by the shogunate with 50 days of handcuffs for violating the “Sumptuary Law” by painting the historical painting “Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Yodo-dono.” After this incident, his creative drive waned, and he passed away in 1806. He is believed to have been in his mid-50s.
Influence on Future Generations
Utamaro’s works were introduced to the West in the 19th century and later, leading to the Japonism movement. The catalyst was the German art critic Kurt’s “Die Momochidori des Kitagawa Utamaro.” Kurt introduced Utamaro, Sharaku, Harunobu, and others to the West. Kurt’s criticism profoundly influenced Impressionist painters such as Monet, Degas, and Van Gogh, and he became known for the distinctive qualities of Japanese art, which expresses emotion through lines and surfaces. It could even be said that the “Japonesque boom” was centered around Utamaro, whom Kurt introduced to the artist.
Utamaro’s female figures go beyond simple expressions of beauty; they encapsulate emotions, ways of life, a sense of the seasons, and the poetry of everyday life; they are masterpieces that will remain in the history of Japanese art.
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