Evening Cool on the Verandah - Kitagawa Utamaro
Archival giclée
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Description
A refined ukiyo-e woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting a quiet domestic scene of women and a child on a verandah during a summer evening.
This woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro belongs to the series 'Genre scenes with kyoka poems, in aiban format'. The composition captures a quiet moment of domestic life during the summer heat. A woman stands on a verandah, reading a scroll, while another woman sits on the floorboards, holding a small child who points towards a swallow in flight. The scene is typical of the artist's focus on the daily activities of women in Edo-period Japan.
Utamaro employs a refined aesthetic, using thin, controlled lines to define the figures and their patterned kimonos. The inclusion of kyoka, or 'mad verse', integrates literature with visual art, a common practice in the ukiyo-e tradition. The palette remains restrained, relying on soft earth tones and muted colours that suggest the cooling air of the evening. The spatial arrangement is flat, characteristic of the period, with the figures positioned to emphasise their graceful postures rather than three-dimensional volume.
The print reflects the cultural interest in leisure and the observation of nature within the urban environment. The swallow, a seasonal marker, adds a sense of movement to the otherwise still scene. By focusing on the interaction between the mother and child, Utamaro provides a glimpse into the private sphere, removed from the public spectacle of the pleasure districts. This work demonstrates the artist's ability to balance decorative elements with human emotion, creating a harmonious image that remains accessible to the modern viewer. The aiban format, slightly smaller than the standard oban, allows for a more intimate viewing experience, drawing the eye to the subtle expressions and the delicate handling of the textile patterns.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
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Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Evening Cool on the Verandah - Kitagawa Utamaro
Artist Biography
Kitagawa Utamaro
Almost nothing is certain about his early life. He was born around 1753, possibly in Edo, possibly in Kyoto, possibly in Kawagoe. He began publishing prints in the 1770s under the guidance of the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, who recognised what Utamaro could do with a portrait of a woman.
What he could do was unprecedented. He invented the okubi-e format: large head-and-shoulders portraits of individual women, mostly from the Yoshiwara pleasure district, printed in close-up with minimal background. Before Utamaro, bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) showed groups of figures in full length. He isolated the face, the tilt of the head, the expression. The prints are psychologically specific in a way that had not existed in Japanese printmaking.
He also published books of insect studies and volumes of shunga (erotica), and he made portraits of ordinary town women, not just courtesans. Ohisa and Okita, two shopgirls who appeared in his Three Beauties of the Present Day, became famous across Edo because of his prints. He turned real people into celebrities, which may be the first documented instance of an artist functioning as a kind of media platform.
Tsutaya Juzaburo died in 1797. Utamaro was reportedly devastated. Some critics feel his work never reached the same level afterward. He produced over two thousand prints in his career.
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