A teahouse waitress glances back, tray in hand

A bust portrait of a young woman turning to glance back over her shoulder, her hair swept up with a red ribbon and a wide gold comb. She holds a black lacquered tray with a green-patterned teacup. Her red under-kimono, printed with scattered cherry blossoms, shows beneath a blue-green kimono patterned with small white flowers, tied with an olive-and-gold striped sash. A brushed title inscription stands at the upper right, the signature and seals at the lower 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.