Description
Okita of the Naniwaya Teahouse appears close and upright in Kitagawa Utamaro’s portrait, holding a dark shallow cup or saucer. Her speckled gray kimono provides a finely varied surface beneath a large coiffure, with a red edge of the sash offering a warmer accent. The small vessel and the arrangement of her clothing give the figure a clear everyday presence.
Made around 1793, the work is an ink-and-color woodblock print. Its close framing concentrates on the named woman without needing an elaborate view of the teahouse around her. Hair, patterned cloth and the dark held object establish different weights within the design, bringing character to a relatively restrained setting. Utamaro makes a familiar social identity the basis of an attentive portrait, allowing the individual figure to carry the image’s interest.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Kitagawa Utamaro collection.
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