Artwork

実競色乃美名家見三浦屋小紫白井権八|The Lovers Miura-ya Komurasaki and Shirai Gonpachi.

実競色乃美名家見三浦屋小紫白井権八|The Lovers Miura-ya Komurasaki and Shirai Gonpachi. is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1797 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a work within the ukiyo-e tradition, the image captures the couple in a moment of romantic intimacy, visually representing the theme of falling in love.

This 1798 woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro portrays the legendary lovers Shirai Gonpachi and the courtesan Miura-ya Komurasaki. As a work within the ukiyo-e tradition, the image captures the couple in a moment of romantic intimacy, visually representing the theme of falling in love. The composition focuses on the man and woman as a paired unit, emphasizing their emotional connection rather than a specific narrative action.

By depicting these famous figures together, the print serves as a portrait of idealized romance, celebrating the beauty and intensity of their relationship within the floating world.

Technique & Style

The piece is a woodblock print executed in ink and color on paper, characteristic of the ukiyo-e and nishiki-e techniques. As a print, it follows the traditional Japanese method of carving designs into wooden blocks, applying pigments, and pressing them onto paper support. Its classification as a portrait within the ukiyo-e genre indicates a stylistic emphasis on delicate line work, flat areas of color, and the graceful portrayal of figures typical of Kitagawa Utamaro’s oeuvre.

History & Provenance

The print was designed and published by Kitagawa Utamaro in 1798 as a nishiki-e woodblock print depicting the lovers Miura-ya Komurasaki and Shirai Gonpachi. It is presently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work is classified as a portrait within the ukiyo-e tradition, rendered in ink and color on paper.

The sources do not record any earlier owners, commissioning patron, or specific publication details beyond its creation date and current museum holding.

Overview

Kitagawa Utamaro’s woodblock print, dated around 1797, presents an intimate scene featuring the courtesan Komurasaki of the Miura-ya house and the outlaw Shirakawa Gonpachi. Executed with ink and color on paper, the work belongs to the ukiyo-e tradition of portraying celebrated lovers from popular narratives.

Context

During the Edo period, ukiyo-e artists frequently depicted courtesans and their lovers, reflecting the city’s fascination with the pleasure quarters. Utamaro’s portrayal aligns with this trend, yet his emphasis on subtle gesture and muted emotion distinguishes it from more overtly dramatic works of the time.