Kitagawa Utamaro · 1753–1806
Kitagawa Utamaro
Kitagawa Utamaro was a late Edo-period ukiyo-e artist. With the backing of the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, he gained popularity with bust portraits of beauties. In his later years he was subject to government restrictions and died in 1806 (Bunka 3).
Kitagawa Utamaro is said to have been born around 1753 (Horeki 3). He first studied under Toriyama Sekien, a painter of the Kano school, and called himself Kitagawa Toyoaki. In his twenties he mostly worked on illustrations for printed books. In 1779 (An'ei 8) he drew illustrations for a kibyoshi under the name Kitagawa Toyoaki. His birth year of 1753 is not certain.
At 28, Ehon Mushi Erabi, published with the backing of the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, made his name. He then published series of bust portraits of beauties such as Fujin Sogaku Juttai, and captivated the public with depictions that seemed to probe the sitters' inner selves.
In his later years, government restrictions tightened, and in 1804 (Bunka 1) he was sentenced to fifty days in handcuffs for his involvement in publishing Ehon Taikoki. He died two years later.
