Koharu of the Kinokuniya and Kamiya Jihei - Kitagawa Utamaro
Archival giclée
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Description
A classic Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting the tragic lovers Koharu and Jihei in a refined, intimate composition.
This woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro depicts a scene from the bunraku play 'The Love Suicides at Amijima' by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. The composition focuses on the courtesan Koharu and her lover, Kamiya Jihei, captured in a moment of quiet intimacy. Utamaro employs his signature 'okubi-e' or large-head style, which brings the figures into close proximity with the viewer, allowing for a detailed examination of their expressions and the subtle interplay of their garments.
The print demonstrates the technical precision of the Edo period publishing houses. The lines are clean and deliberate, defining the contours of the faces and the folds of the fabric with economy. The colour palette is restrained, relying on muted tones of red, grey, and black to maintain a sombre mood appropriate to the tragic narrative of the play. The figures are draped in traditional head coverings, which serve to frame their faces and draw attention to their downcast eyes and the small object held between them.
Utamaro was a master of the 'bijin-ga' genre, which typically focused on the beauty of women in the pleasure districts of Edo. In this work, he shifts the focus toward the emotional weight of a specific literary narrative. The lack of a complex background ensures that the viewer remains engaged with the psychological state of the subjects. The print is a representative example of the late eighteenth-century Japanese aesthetic, where the focus on human emotion and refined line work defined the output of the Ukiyo-e school. The work remains a clear record of the intersection between popular theatre and visual art in historical Japan, providing insight into the cultural preoccupations of the era without relying on excessive ornamentation.
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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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Manufacturing
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.
Care and materials
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
Koharu of the Kinokuniya and Kamiya Jihei - 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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