Artwork

四季の花|Women on a Bridge, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons

四季の花|Women on a Bridge, 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.: JP1074
Credit line: Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914

About this work

Overview

Created in 1801 by the Edo‑period printmaker Kitagawa Utamaro, this woodblock illustration forms part of the multi‑volume work Flowers of the Four Seasons. Executed with ink and color on paper, the image depicts a crowded bridge scene and is currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a bustling bridge teeming with figures clutching umbrellas, fans, and parasols. The participants, dressed in layered robes of muted greens, yellows and browns, convey a moment of urban life, suggesting the rhythm of daily travel and social interaction within a seasonal context.

Technique & Style

Utamaro employs the characteristic ukiyo‑e approach of clean, unmodulated lines and flat areas of color. Depth is suggested through the overlapping of shapes rather than chiaroscuro, while the vivid red and white umbrellas punctuate the subdued palette, creating visual contrast without the use of shading.

History & Provenance

The print was produced as a page in the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons, a series that paired botanical motifs with genre scenes. After its circulation in early‑19th‑century Japan, the work entered the Western art market and was eventually acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view.