{"product_id":"the-lovers-miura-ya-komurasaki-and-shirai-gonpachi-kitagawa-utamaro","title":"The Lovers Miura-ya Komurasaki and Shirai Gonpachi - Kitagawa Utamaro","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic okubi-e woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting the legendary lovers Komurasaki and Shirai Gonpachi with characteristic grace and psychological depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro depicts the legendary lovers Komurasaki, a high-ranking courtesan of the Miura-ya house, and the samurai Shirai Gonpachi. The work belongs to the genre of okubi-e, or large-head pictures, which Utamaro refined to capture the psychological state of his subjects. By focusing on the upper torsos and faces, the artist directs attention to the subtle expressions and the intimacy shared between the two figures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUtamaro employs a clean, minimalist approach to the background, allowing the figures to occupy the entirety of the visual field. The lines defining the faces and hair are precise and fluid, characteristic of the artist's mature style. The composition relies on the interplay of the two figures, whose heads are tilted toward one another in a gesture of quiet affection. The contrast between the dark, voluminous hair of the courtesan and the simpler coiffure of the samurai creates a balanced visual weight. The colour palette remains restrained, utilising soft earth tones and muted reds to maintain a sense of harmony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorically, the story of Komurasaki and Gonpachi was a popular subject in kabuki theatre and literature during the Edo period. Utamaro captures them not in a moment of dramatic action, but in a state of stillness. The print demonstrates the artist's ability to convey character through line and posture rather than elaborate setting. The inclusion of the cartouche in the upper right provides context, identifying the series and the figures depicted. This print is a representative example of the technical skill involved in late eighteenth-century Japanese printmaking, where the collaboration between artist, carver, and printer resulted in works of great clarity and refinement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/asakusa-imado-utagawa-kuniyoshi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eAsakusa Imado - Utagawa Kuniyoshi — Utagawa Kuniyoshi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/two-chinese-women-utagawa-yoshitora\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eTwo Chinese Women - Utagawa Yoshitora — Utagawa Yoshitora\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kitagawa Utamaro","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58827330814287,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58827345101135,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58827345133903,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58827345166671,"sku":null,"price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58827345199439,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Lovers-Miura-ya-Komurasaki-and-Shirai-Gonpachi_Poster_CompositorV1_1789888052632.jpg?v=1789888291","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/the-lovers-miura-ya-komurasaki-and-shirai-gonpachi-kitagawa-utamaro","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}