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

"Naniwaya Okita," created by the renowned Japanese artist Utamaro Kitagawa, is an exquisite example of Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, particularly focusing on bijin-ga—portraits of beautiful women. This specific depiction captures Okita, a well-known waitress from the teahouse Naniwaya in the Yoshiwara pleasure district, a popular subject in Ukiyo-e art.

The composition is a close-up portrait, emphasizing Okita’s delicate features and refined beauty. Her face is depicted in three-quarters profile, a favored angle for artists to convey charm and grace. Her eyes are slightly downcast, adding an aura of modesty and introspection. The slight smile on her lips suggests subtle flirtation or contentment.

Okita’s hairstyle is an intricate chignon adorned with elaborate hairpins and combs, reflecting the fashion of Edo-period courtesans and entertainers. Her kimono, rendered with meticulous attention to detail, displays an exquisite pattern that hints at her sophisticated status. The fabrics are rendered with subtle gradations of color, demonstrating Utamaro’s masterful use of print techniques to create texture and depth.

The background of the painting is relatively plain, possibly a muted color or simple texture, ensuring that the viewer's attention remains on Okita. This lack of distracting elements is characteristic of Utamaro’s style, which often focuses intensively on the subject's visage and attire, celebrating their elegance and allure.

Utamaro Kitagawa (c. 1753–1806) was one of the most acclaimed Ukiyo-e artists of the late Edo period. His works primarily focused on bijin-ga, offering intimate and often idealized portrayals of women, ranging from courtesans and geishas to anonymous beauty figures.

Utamaro's technique was innovative for his time. He was well-known for his use of color and ability to convey the intricate details of his subjects through woodblock printing. His works significantly influenced both his contemporaries and subsequent generations of artists in Japan and abroad.

"Naniwaya Okita" fits seamlessly into Utamaro's oeuvre, highlighting his interest in capturing the essence of feminine beauty. It is part of Utamaro's prolific output in the 1790s when he was at the peak of his artistic career, producing portraits that stood out for their emotional depth and technical finesse.

The original prints of "Naniwaya Okita" are held in various prestigious collections worldwide, such as the Tokyo National Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Being a woodblock print, multiple copies were made, allowing for broader distribution and conservation in various collections.

This artwork is a vital contribution to the study of Ukiyo-e and the socio-cultural dynamics of Edo-period Japan. It not only exemplifies Utamaro’s finesse and the Ukiyo-e art form but also offers insights into the historical context of the Yoshiwara district, an area central to the lives of many depicted in these prints.

In conclusion, "Naniwaya Okita" by Utamaro Kitagawa is a delicate, intimate portrayal that captures the beauty and refined elegance of one of Edo Japan's notable figures. It stands as a testament to Utamaro's skill and the enduring legacy of Ukiyo-e in the canon of Japanese art.