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Artists›Kitagawa Utamaro

Kitagawa Utamaro

Kitagawa Utamaro

Artist

WA-00120712

Representation

None documented

0

Institutional Exhibitions

25

Works in Collection

28

Assets Indexed

0

Authority-backed Facts

0

Publications Referenced

60%

Profile Completeness

Cultural Positioning

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Authority Records (1)

Source Registry (1)

Smithsonianhttps://www.si.edu/object/chndm_1955-111-91
Tier 1 · Institutional90%

About

Why this artist matters now

Kitagawa Utamaro was a Japanese artist. He is one of the most highly regarded designers of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and paintings, and is best known for his bijin ōkubi-e "large-headed pictures of beautiful women" of the 1790s. He also produced nature studies, particularly illustrated books of insects.

Source: Smithsonian Institution · Trust score: 90% · Updated 1mo ago

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Related Artists

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Canonical record

Artworks (25)

Wisteria Maiden with an Ōtsu Demon Dressed as an Itinerant Monk, from the series Souvenir Paintings from Ōtsu, Stocked in Edo (Edo Shi-ire Ōtsu Miyage)

Wisteria Maiden with an Ōtsu Demon Dressed as an Itinerant Monk, from the series Souvenir Paintings from Ōtsu, Stocked in Edo (Edo Shi-ire Ōtsu Miyage)

1802 · Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper

14 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. (36.8 x 24.1 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Act VII from the series The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers

Act VII from the series The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers

1801 · Color woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Sheet: 39.1 x 26.3 cm (15 3/8 x 10 3/8 in.)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Ehon enbusugata - chu

Ehon enbusugata - chu

1798 · color woodcut on paper

width: 106 cm, height: 152 cm

“Preparing Food for the Warbler,” from the album Men’s Stamping Dance (Otoko dōka, uguisu no esa suri)

“Preparing Food for the Warbler,” from the album Men’s Stamping Dance (Otoko dōka, uguisu no esa suri)

1798 · Page from a woodblock printed book; ink and color on paper

8 1/2 x 14 in. (21.6 x 35.6 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ehon enbusugata

Ehon enbusugata

1798 · color woodcut on paper

height: 152 cm, width: 106 cm

Ehon enbusugata - ge

Ehon enbusugata - ge

1798 · color woodcut on paper

width: 106 cm, height: 1651 cm

Goldfish, from the series "Elegant Comparison of Little Treasures (Furyu kodakara awase)"

Goldfish, from the series "Elegant Comparison of Little Treasures (Furyu kodakara awase)"

1797 · Color woodblock print; oban

38.1 × 26.2 cm (15 × 10 3/8 in.)

Art Institute of Chicago

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (right)

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (right)

1796 · triptych: color woodblock print

Sheet: 38.2 x 76.8 cm (15 1/16 x 30 1/4 in.)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (left)

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (left)

1796 · Triptych: color woodblock print

Sheet: 38.2 x 76.8 cm (15 1/16 x 30 1/4 in.)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (center)

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (center)

1796 · Triptych: color woodblock print

Sheet: 38.2 x 76.8 cm (15 1/16 x 30 1/4 in.)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors

The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors

1795 · color woodblock print

39.1 x 26.1 cm (15 3/8 x 10 1/4 in.)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Komurasaki of the Miuraya and Shirai Gompachi (Miuraya Komurasaki, Shirai Gompachi)

Komurasaki of the Miuraya and Shirai Gompachi (Miuraya Komurasaki, Shirai Gompachi)

1795 · Color woodblock print; hashira-e

Art Institute of Chicago

Yamauba with Kintaro Holding a Toy Mask

Yamauba with Kintaro Holding a Toy Mask

1794 · Color woodblock print; oban

38.8 × 26.1 cm (15 5/16 × 10 5/16 in.)

Art Institute of Chicago

In the Kitchen

1794 · Right-hand sheet of a diptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper

Image: 15 × 10 in. (38.1 × 25.4 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Drawing Lots for Prizes (Ho biki)

Drawing Lots for Prizes (Ho biki)

1793 · Color woodblock prints; ōban triptych

Right sheet: 37.8 × 24.5 cm (14 15/16 × 9 11/16 in.); Center sheet: 37.8 × 25 cm (14 15/16 × 9 7/8 in.); Left sheet: 37.8 × 26.2 cm (14 15/16 × 10 3/8 in.); Mat: 57.2 × 95.3 cm (22 1/2 × 37 1/2 in.)

Art Institute of Chicago

Takigawa of the Ōgiya from the series A Selection of Eastern Beauties

Takigawa of the Ōgiya from the series A Selection of Eastern Beauties

1793 · color woodblock print

Sheet: 33 x 22.3 cm (13 x 8 3/4 in.)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Courtesan Konosumi, from the series Beauties of the Southern Quarter (Nangoku bijin awase)

The Courtesan Konosumi, from the series Beauties of the Southern Quarter (Nangoku bijin awase)

1793 · Woodblock print (nishiki-e) with mica on paper

14 1/2 x 9 5/16 in. (36.8 x 23.7 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Courtesan Arihara of the Tsuruya, and Child Attendants Aoe and Sekiya (Tsuruya uchi Arihara, Aoe, Sekiya), from an untitled series of courtesans

The Courtesan Arihara of the Tsuruya, and Child Attendants Aoe and Sekiya (Tsuruya uchi Arihara, Aoe, Sekiya), from an untitled series of courtesans

1792 · Color woodblcok print; aiban

33.3 × 22.2 cm (13 1/8 × 8 3/4 in.)

Art Institute of Chicago

Liefdesgedichten

Liefdesgedichten

1792 · color woodcut on paper

width: 263 cm, height: 390 cm

Kiyomizu Komachi, from the series Futabagusa nana Komachi

Kiyomizu Komachi, from the series Futabagusa nana Komachi

1790 · Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper

H. 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm); W. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Takashima Ohisa

Takashima Ohisa

1790 · Color woodblock print; oban

38 × 25.8 cm (15 × 10 3/16 in.)

Art Institute of Chicago

The Lady Tomimoto Toyohina Reading a Letter

The Lady Tomimoto Toyohina Reading a Letter

1790 · Woodblock print; ink and color on paper

H. 14 5/8 in. (37.1 cm); W. 9 3/8 in. (23.8 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Flirtatious Type, from Ten Types in the Physiognomy of Women

The Flirtatious Type, from Ten Types in the Physiognomy of Women

1788 · color woodblock print

36.9 x 25.4 cm (14 1/2 x 10 in.)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Fan Vendor

1787 · Woodblock print (nishiki-e)

H. 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm); W. 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

View all 25 artworks →

Artwork sources (4)

25 published of 25 catalogued · 25 with image

Cleveland Museum of Art
7 published7 img
Art Institute Chicago
7 published7 img
The Met
7 published7 img
Rijksmuseum
4 published4 img

Per-Artwork Provenance Chains (top 10)

10 entries · 1 sources

Ehon enbusugata - ge
1798 · Rijksmuseum · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
Liefdesgedichten
1792 · Rijksmuseum · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
Ehon enbusugata
1798 · Rijksmuseum · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
Ehon enbusugata - chu
1798 · Rijksmuseum · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors
1795 · Cleveland · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
Act VII from the series The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers
1801 · Cleveland · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
Takigawa of the Ōgiya from the series A Selection of Eastern Beauties
1793 · Cleveland · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
The Flirtatious Type, from Ten Types in the Physiognomy of Women
1788 · Cleveland · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (left)
1796 · Cleveland · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number
Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (right)
1796 · Cleveland · 1 prov
Url Pattern Extraction 2026-05-27·accession_number

Record

Images

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Kitagawa Utamaro (Wikipedia)

Wikipedia

Kitagawa Utamaro (Wikipedia)

Wikipedia

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Exhibitions and timeline

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