Lady-in-Waiting at Edo Castle - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Archival giclée
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Description
A refined hanging scroll painting by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, depicting a lady-in-waiting in traditional attire within the confines of Edo Castle.
This hanging scroll depicts a lady-in-waiting, a figure of status within the inner chambers of Edo Castle. Utagawa Kuniyoshi, a master of the Utagawa school, captures the subject in a moment of quiet contemplation. She leans against a wooden partition, her posture relaxed yet formal. Her attire consists of a layered kimono, featuring a dark outer robe adorned with subtle floral motifs, which contrasts with the bright red undergarment visible at the collar and sleeves. The yellow sash, or obi, provides a clear colour break in the composition.
The artist employs a refined line quality, typical of his work in the bijin-ga genre, which focuses on the depiction of beautiful women. The figure's face is rendered with delicate features, and her hair is styled in a traditional fashion, complete with a small, golden hair ornament. The background remains neutral, allowing the viewer to focus entirely on the figure and the texture of her garments. The wooden partition serves as a structural element, grounding the figure within the space while maintaining a sense of two-dimensional clarity characteristic of the period.
Kuniyoshi is often associated with dynamic prints of warriors and ghosts, yet this work demonstrates his versatility in portraiture. The use of silk as a medium suggests this was a commissioned piece, likely intended for a private setting rather than mass production. The colour palette is balanced, relying on muted tones for the outer robe and more saturated hues for the accents. This print offers a glimpse into the aesthetic preferences of the late Edo period, where the depiction of courtly life remained a popular subject for both artists and patrons. The work remains a fine example of the technical skill involved in traditional Japanese painting, showing careful attention to fabric patterns and the subtle play of light on the subject's face.
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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
Lady-in-Waiting at Edo Castle - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Artist Biography
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
For the first thirteen years he struggled. The breakthrough came in 1827 with a commission to illustrate the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, a Chinese adventure novel. He drew tattooed warriors in dynamic poses that broke out of the frame, the tattoos rendered with a detail that started a fashion in Edo. The series was enormously popular and established him as the leading designer of warrior prints.
He loved cats. His studio was always full of them, and he often worked with a kitten tucked inside his kimono. When a cat died, he sent it to a nearby temple, and he kept a Buddhist altar for his deceased cats at home. Cats appear constantly in his prints: as substitute actors in kabuki scenes, as letter-forms in playful alphabets, as parodies of famous paintings. Government censorship in the 1840s prohibited the depiction of actors and courtesans by name, so Kuniyoshi gave them cat faces, which was technically legal and funnier.
His range was unusual for an ukiyo-e artist. Warriors, landscapes, beautiful women, ghosts, satirical cartoons, cats. He was equally comfortable with the heroic and the absurd, sometimes on the same sheet. His triptych of the giant skeleton spectre, from the tale of Takiyasha the Witch, is one of the most reproduced images in Japanese art.
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