Created from high-quality wood, milled with simple clean lines and presented with a satin finish. Includes an off-white mount that will not discolour or fade with age. - Simple, elegant design - Premium, fine art paper with a gently textured surface - Handmade by specialist picture framers - FSC certified off-white mat / window mount - Delivered ready for hanging

"Fumiyomu Onna (1753-1806)" by Kitagawa Utamaro, which translates to "Woman Reading a Letter," is an exquisite example of the ukiyo-e woodblock printing tradition from Japan's Edo period. Utamaro is celebrated for his bijin-ga (beautiful women) prints, and this particular work is a testament to his skill in capturing the subtleties of female beauty and emotion.

In "Fumiyomu Onna," Utamaro depicts a woman in a three-quarter view, elegantly engrossed in reading a letter. The composition radiates calm and introspection as the subject is deeply absorbed in her activity. The woman is adorned in a kimono featuring delicate, intricate patterns that exemplify Utamaro's attention to detail and his ability to render textiles with a striking sense of texture and movement. Her kimono's color palette is subdued, with muted tones of indigo and soft greys, allowing the viewer's focus to rest primarily on her serene facial expression.

Her hair, styled in a traditional manner, is neatly arranged with hairpins, adding an element of quiet sophistication. The background is simple and unembellished, highlighting the intimate moment captured and bringing forward the subject's contemplative state. Utamaro's use of line and color creates a smooth, almost ethereal quality, characteristic of his mature works.

Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753-1806) is one of the most prominent and influential ukiyo-e artists, renowned for his portraits of beautiful women, known as bijin-ga. His works were instrumental in elevating the genre and demonstrating the potential of ukiyo-e as a major artistic movement. Utamaro's ability to convey subtle emotions and the inner lives of his subjects through portraiture set him apart from his contemporaries.

"Fumiyomu Onna" fits within Utamaro's oeuvre during a period in which he focused on intimate, close-up portraits of women, often portrayed in private, personal moments. This painting exemplifies his interest in capturing not just physical beauty but also the nuanced psychological states of his subjects. It reflects the Edo period's broader cultural fascination with the fleeting, ephemeral moments of everyday life, a theme central to the ukiyo-e movement.

One noteworthy detail is Utamaro's use of the hashira-e (pillar print) format, which he helped popularize. The vertical composition accentuates the elegance and elongated form of the figure, reinforcing the grace and sophistication of the subject.

As with many ukiyo-e prints, numerous impressions of "Fumiyomu Onna" exist, so identifying a single "original" might be challenging. However, significant collections of Utamaro's works are held in several renowned institutions. Notable among these are the Tokyo National Museum in Japan, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the British Museum in London. These institutions house some of the finest examples of Utamaro’s art and provide invaluable resources for appreciating the depth and legacy of his influence.

This particular piece encapsulates the quintessence of Edo-period beauty and Utamaro's unparalleled ability to render the poetic inner world of Japanese women, making it a masterpiece of both his career and the ukiyo-e tradition.