The Courtesan Konosumi — Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1793–94
共有
In this exquisite woodblock print from the series Beauties of the Southern Quarter (Nangoku bijin awase), Kitagawa Utamaro portrays the courtesan Konosumi with his signature elegance. The print is rendered in nishiki-e — the vibrant polychrome technique — with mica applied to the paper, lending the background a luminous, shimmering quality that elevates the figure to an almost otherworldly beauty.
She holds a uchiwa (round fan), upon which is inscribed a poem by the celebrated Edo-period literati Shikatsube no Magao:
Even as guests do,
So do the summer breezes.
Ever returning,
Come to Sodegaura,
Place of heavenly coolness.
The poem evokes the cool sea breezes of Sodegaura — a poetic place name meaning "Sleeve Bay" — offering a moment of imagined relief from the summer heat. It is a masterful pairing of image and verse, characteristic of Utamaro's sophisticated artistic sensibility.
About the Artist
Kitagawa Utamaro (ca. 1754–1806) was one of the foremost masters of ukiyo-e, renowned above all for his bijin-ga — portraits of beautiful women. His ability to capture psychological depth and feminine grace within the conventions of the woodblock print medium set him apart from his contemporaries and secured his enduring legacy in the history of Japanese art.
About the Work
- Title: The Courtesan Konosumi, from the series Beauties of the Southern Quarter (Nangoku bijin awase)
- Artist: Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, ca. 1754–1806)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: ca. 1793–94
- Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e) with mica on paper