Artwork
Woman Cooling Herself
Woman Cooling Herself is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Toyohiro. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
The woman is seated in a serene outdoor setting, with a stream running in the background and a few plants growing nearby.
In this painting, a woman sits on a low stool, fanning herself with a hand fan. She wears a dark kimono with a pattern of small white dots and has a red obi tied around her waist. Her hair is styled in an updo, and she has a subtle expression on her face.
The woman is seated in a serene outdoor setting, with a stream running in the background and a few plants growing nearby. The atmosphere is peaceful, with soft colors and gentle brushstrokes used throughout the painting.
This painting is a great example of Japanese art from the early 19th century. To learn more about the artist who created it, look up Utagawa Toyohiro.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a woman standing beside a stream, cooling herself with a hand fan. The flowing water and the woman's gesture with the fan suggest relief from summer heat, aligning with ukiyo-e themes of seasonal pleasures. The composition emphasizes leisure and comfort, evoking the cultural ideal of escaping the oppressive warmth of Edo-period summers through natural settings and simple domestic tools like the fan.
Technique & Style
Woman Cooling Herself is a work created in 1800 in Japan by Utagawa Toyohiro. The composition depicts a solitary woman holding a hand fan with a stream flowing nearby, forming the visual focus. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Its formal qualities are defined by the interplay of figure, fan, and stream, reflecting the stylistic concerns of early nineteenth-century Japanese art.
History & Provenance
Woman Cooling Herself was created by the Japanese artist Utagawa Toyohiro in 1800. Originating in Japan, the work depicts a woman with a hand fan near a stream. The artwork is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
No specific details regarding the original commission, initial ownership, or the chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are provided in the available records.
Overview
Woman Cooling Herself is a painting created by Utagawa Toyohiro in 1800. This artwork, now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, depicts a solitary woman engaged in the simple act of fanning herself. It offers a glimpse into daily life and aesthetic sensibilities prevalent in Japan at the turn of the 19th century, showcasing the artist's approach to figure painting within a tranquil environment.
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