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The Courtesans Shizuka and Akashi of the Tamaya House (Tamaya uchi Shizuka, Akashi)

The Courtesans Shizuka and Akashi of the Tamaya House (Tamaya uchi Shizuka, Akashi)

ca. 1799

Kitagawa Utamaro

Japanese, 1754 - 1806

Utamaro occasionally worked in the exacting format of the pillar print. Long and narrow, the restrictive space of the prints demanded sophisticated compositions. In this print, Utamaro met the challenge by taking a three-quarter-length view of similarly attired courtesans. Their twin sashes cover the length of the torso from chest to hips, reflecting the fashion of the times.

--Catherine Roche, Curatorial Associate, 2010
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
24 7/8 x 5 5/8 in. (63.2 x 14.2 cm)
Gift of Mary and Allan Kollar, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum
2017.23.10
Provenance: [Israel Goldman Japanese Prints, London, England]; purchased from gallery by Allan Kollar, Seattle, Washington, 2009; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2017
location
Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Fleeting Beauty: Japanese Woodblock Prints, Apr. 1 - July 4, 2010. Text by Catherine Roche. Cat. no. 25, reproduced p. 48.

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