Young Woman Blowing a Glass Pipe (poppin)

Catalog note / 解説

The predominant bijinga artist ofthe Tenmei and Kansei eras used a variety of techniques and formats and poignantly depicted the inner character of women. The close-up bust portrait of a beauty, known as ökubi-e, was a print form originally invented by Utamaro. This print is one masterpiece from a series presenting views of the various characteristics of women’s physiognomy. The genre nature of this image of a serious-appearing wellborn young girl as blows on a glass poppin is impressive and unusual. The artist even signed his work “Painted by the physiognomist Utamaro.” (Tadashi Kobayashi, Edo Beauty in Ukiyoe, 1994) * ** * * * * * * * Utamaro's invention of a print form depicting only a c…