Elegante vrouwen als de helden van de Suikoden - uit een serie van Honderd en acht

About this artwork

J.A. Bierens de Haan Bequest, Amsterdam

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century Japan with Utagawa Kuniyoshi's *Elegante vrouwen als de helden de Suikoden - een serie van Honder en acht* (Elegant Women as the Heroes of the Suoden - from a Series of One Hundred and Eight created in 1832. Kuniyoshi, a master the Utagawa school and ukiyo-e tradition, reimagines the fierce outlaw from the classic Chinese novel *Water Margin*Suikoden) as, powerful women. This print, measuring just 208mm by 184mm, captures the Edo period's fascination with tales of rebellion and valor, transforming legendary bandits into elegant figures blending beauty and bravery. Printed as a *nishikie*—a luxurious "brocade picture" woodblock print— it showcases Kuniyoshi's innovative techniques, including shimmering metallic pigments for a jewel-like glow and blindprinting (gauffrage) for subtle embossed textures that add depth without color. These methods elevated affordable prints to art treasures, making them accessible yet opulent during Japan's floating world of entertainment and storytelling. Part of Kuniyoshi's acclaimed series depicting all 108 Suikoden heroes, this work highlights women's hidden strength in a male-dominated narrative, reflecting cultural shifts toward bold, unconventional heroism. Acquired through the J.A. Bierens de Haan Bequest in Amsterdam, it invites us to admire how Japanese printmakers wove global legends into timeless visual poetry.

About the Artist

Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1797–1861

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was born in Edo to the silk-dyer Yanagiya Kichiyemon, originally bearing the childhood name Yoshisaburō. From a young age, he assisted in his family's pattern design work, which sharpened his innate mastery of color and textile motifs that would permeate his later prints. At around twelve years old, his prodigious drawing skills drew the attention of the renowned Utag...