A Wife of the Lower Rank (Gebon no nyōbō), from the series A Guide to Women's Contemporary Styles (Tōsei onna fūzoku tsū)

1802

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

A Wife of the Lower Rank (Gebon no nyōbō), from the series A Guide to Women's Contemporary Styles (Tōsei onna fūzoku tsū) is a 1802 by Kitagawa Utamaro, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Kitagawa Utamaro
When & what style?: 1802 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This painting shows a woman with her hair styled in a traditional Japanese updo, adorned with a hairpin and a fan tucked behind her head. She wears a kimono with a floral pattern and is applying lip color with a small brush. The woman's face is tilted slightly, and her eyes are cast downward, giving the impression that she is focused on her task. The background of the painting is a muted color, which helps to draw attention to the woman's features and actions. The artist who created this piece, Kitagawa Utamaro, was known for his portraits of women, and this painting is a great example of his work.