Who painted 名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet?

名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet was painted by Kitagawa Utamaro in ca. 1799.

Where can I see 名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet?

名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet?

名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet

Kitagawa Utamaro , 1799

名君閨中の粧ひ|The Oiran Yoso-oi Seated at Her Toilet is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Kitagawa Utamaru’s woodblock print, dated around 1799, portrays a courtesan seated at a low table while attending to her hair.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Yoso-oi is depicted holding a hand mirror and adorned with kanzashi hair ornaments, emphasizing the meticulous grooming practices of high-ranking courtesans.

The work portrays the oiran Yoso-oi engaged in her toilet rituals within a bedroom setting. As a bijin-ga (picture of a beautiful woman), the print focuses on the subject's appearance and the intimate act of applying makeup. Yoso-oi is depicted holding a hand mirror and adorned with kanzashi hair ornaments, emphasizing the meticulous grooming practices of high-ranking courtesans.

The inclusion of a kamuro, or young attendant, alongside the oiran highlights the hierarchical structure and daily life within the pleasure quarters. Through these specific iconographic elements, the image represents the idealized beauty and refined elegance associated with the ukiyo-e tradition.

Technique & Style

The print was produced using woodblock technique with ink and color on paper. Utamaro renders the figure in a bijin-ga style, emphasizing delicate line work and flat areas of color to convey the intimate setting of a woman arranging her hair with a hand mirror, kanzashi hairpin, and subtle makeup. The composition balances decorative detail with a restrained palette, highlighting the sitter’s poised posture and the reflective surface of the mirror.

History & Provenance

The work was created in 1799 as a woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting the courtesan Yoso-oi seated at her toilet with a hand mirror, kanzashi, and make-up accessories. Belonging to the ukiyo-e bijin-ga genre, it measures 37.1 cm in height by 25.2 cm in width and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Kitagawa Utamaru’s woodblock print, dated around 1799, portrays a courtesan seated at a low table while attending to her hair. Rendered in ink and color on paper, the composition captures a moment of private preparation, emphasizing the elegance of the figure’s attire and the intimacy of the setting.

Context

During the late eighteenth century, ukiyo-e prints frequently depicted scenes of urban life in Edo, with bijin-ga, images of beautiful women, being a popular genre. Utamara’s work stands out for its psychological depth, employing visual devices such as mirrors to explore themes of identity and perception within the pleasure quarters.