Woman on her way to visit a shrine

Art Historical Context

Created in the early 1830s by Utagawa Kunisada I (also known as Toyok III), *Woman on her way to visit a shrine* captures a quiet moment of everyday devotion in Edo-period Japan. Kunisada, one of the most prolific ukiyo-e masters of his time, specialized in elegant portraits of women and kabuki actors. Here he depicts a gracefully attired figure making her way to a shrine, a common subject that blended the beauty of contemporary fashion with subtle spiritual themes. The print’s medium—a color woodblock surimono in the square shikishiban format—adds to its refined character. Surimono were privately commissioned luxury prints, often produced in small editions with lavish techniques such as metallic pigments, embossing, and blind printing. Measuring just over 21 by 19 centimeters, this intimate size was ideal for personal appreciation or gift-giving, frequently accompanied by poetry. As a work from the Arts of Asia collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, the print reflects the vibrant print culture of 1830s Edo, where art, literature, and daily rituals intersected. Kunisada’s sensitive rendering of fabric folds and poised movement invites viewers to appreciate both the aesthetic ideals and the quiet spiritual life of the period.

About the Artist

Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) · 1786–1864

Utagawa Kunisada I, also known as Toyokuni III (1786–1865), was born Sumida Shōgorō in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo) into a family that operated a hereditary ferry-boat service, providing stability after his father's early death. Displaying prodigious talent in drawing from childhood, he became an apprentice to the master Utagawa Toyokuni I around 1801 at age fifteen, entering the prest...