Artwork

四季の花|Girls Getting on Board a Boat, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons

四季の花|Girls Getting on Board a Boat, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1801 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: JP1076
Credit line: Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914

About this work

Overview

Girls Getting on Board a Boat is a woodblock print from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons, created by Kitagawa Utamaro in 1801.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts two women near a boat on a wooden bridge. One woman, wearing a red kimono, steps onto the boat with a basket, while the other, in darker attire, sits on the bridge, looking down. The scene captures a moment of everyday life.

Technique & Style

Utamaro employed simple shapes and bold colors to convey movement and daily activity. The composition features flat, two-dimensional elements, such as boats and buildings, yet achieves a sense of liveliness through its color and arrangement.