Three women gather beneath cherry blossoms above the bay

Three women gather beneath a blossoming cherry tree above a grey bay where sailboats pass beyond pink cloud bands. At left a woman in a purple kimono patterned with bamboo leaves over a red under-robe points with one hand and lifts her hem with the other. Behind a black fence rail a second woman in a striped purple robe holds up a large orange paper umbrella. A third woman in a black kimono patterned with ivy leaves kneels at the right, handling a pair of yellow sandals. Utamaro's signature is at the left.

Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753–1806) defined the ukiyo-e portrait of women. Working with the publisher Tsutaya Jūzaburō in the 1790s, he introduced the ōkubi-e, or large-head print, which brought the viewer close enough to read a glance or a gesture, and he gave the beauties of the Yoshiwara district individual faces and names. Mica grounds, transparent textiles and fine line work made his prints the most refined of their day. His work is held by the British Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Printed as a museum-grade giclée on Hahnemühle fine art paper using 12-ink archival pigment printing. Available handframed in FSC-certified wood with optional float glass, or unframed. Ships worldwide with free delivery to 30+ countries.