Young Married Couple on a Summer Sleeping Mat - Kitagawa Utamaro
Archival giclée
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Description
A classic shunga woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting an intimate scene with refined line work and traditional Japanese aesthetic sensibilities.
This woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro belongs to the shunga genre, a category of Japanese erotic art that flourished during the Edo period. Utamaro, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, is widely recognised for his ability to capture the human form with grace and psychological nuance. In this composition, he depicts a couple in an intimate moment upon a summer sleeping mat. The artist employs a refined line quality to define the figures, balancing the starkness of the skin against the patterned fabric of the garments. The inclusion of calligraphic text surrounding the figures provides a narrative layer, typical of the period's printed books and albums.
The composition is intentionally flat, prioritising the arrangement of limbs and the flow of the textiles over three-dimensional space. Utamaro uses a muted palette, allowing the focus to remain on the interaction between the two subjects. The print demonstrates the technical precision of the woodblock medium, where each colour block is aligned to create a cohesive image. By placing the figures on a tatami mat, the artist grounds the scene in a domestic setting, reflecting the everyday life of the urban population in Edo-era Japan. This work provides insight into the aesthetic values and social customs of the time, where erotic imagery was produced for a broad audience. The print is a characteristic example of Utamaro's output, showing his skill in portraiture and his command of the woodblock printing process. It remains a significant piece for those interested in the history of Japanese graphic arts and the development of the ukiyo-e movement.
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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
Young Married Couple on a Summer Sleeping Mat - 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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