The Outer Robe
ca. 1795
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
15 x 9 3/4 in. (38.1 x 24.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936
Accession Number
JP2736
Tags
About this artwork
Kitagawa Utamaro's 'The Outer Robe' represents the pinnacle of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), the genre that made the artist famous during Japan's Edo period. Created circa 1795, this woodblock print depicts a courtesan kneeling with hands grasping her outer robe, displayed to particular advantage in the standard vertical oban format (15 x 9 3/4 inches) which allowed portrayal of full-length figures at close range. Utamaro (ca. 1754-1806) revolutionized ukiyo-e printmaking through his i...
About the Artist
Kitagawa Utamaro · 1753–1806
Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753-1806) was one of the most celebrated masters of ukiyo-e woodblock printing, revolutionizing the art of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) during Japan's Edo period. Born Kitagawa Ichitaro, his early life remains shrouded in mystery, with conflicting accounts placing his birth in Kyoto, Osaka, Yoshiwara in Edo (modern Tokyo), or Kawagoe in Musashi Province. Under the t...