Who painted Contemporary Beauties Third?

Contemporary Beauties Third was painted by Kitagawa Utamaro in 1780.

Where can I see Contemporary Beauties Third?

Contemporary Beauties Third is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Contemporary Beauties Third?

Contemporary Beauties Third is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Contemporary Beauties Third

Kitagawa Utamaro , 1780

Contemporary Beauties Third is a print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1780 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1940.1040
Credit line: Bequest of James Parmelee

About this work

Overview

Created in 1780, Contemporary Beauties Third is a woodblock print by the Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamō. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It presents a pair of elegantly attired women standing side by side, rendered in the flat, decorative manner typical of late‑eighteenth‑century ukiyo‑e.

Subject & Meaning

The composition features two women in long kimono robes and tall black hats. One holds a folding fan, a conventional symbol of femininity, while the other carries a small, lidded basket. Their expressions are restrained yet convey a quiet confidence, suggesting a scene of everyday refinement rather than a narrative episode.

Technique & Style

Utamō employs the characteristic ukiyo‑e palette of flat, saturated colors bounded by crisp outlines. The background is left unadorned, allowing the figures to dominate the visual field. Subtle patterning on the kimono fabrics and the delicate rendering of the women’s faces demonstrate the artist’s skill in balancing stylisation with a sense of natural posture.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during Utamō’s mature period, when his portraits of beautiful women were in high demand. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, joining a broader representation of Edo‑period prints that the museum maintains for study and public display.