Description
In The Outer Robe, a woman turns partly away in a large pink floral robe tied with a green sash in Kitagawa Utamaro’s print. The pale ground gives her clothing room to form the image’s principal shape. Her oblique bearing allows the Outer Robe named in the title to become an active part of the encounter rather than a detached costume detail.
Made around 1795, the woodblock print uses ink and color on paper. Utamaro’s subject offers a quieter form of encounter than a grand event, allowing the material world of personal appearance to carry human interest. The work’s appeal lies in the significance given to a familiar article of clothing. An outer robe becomes more than a general costume label, offering a point of attention through which the represented person and her surroundings can be considered.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Kitagawa Utamaro collection.
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