A courtesan kneels beneath a sweeping phoenix-feather backdrop

Wakamurasaki, a courtesan of the Matsubaya house, kneels on a red floor mat, her hair set with combs and radiating pins. She wears a deep indigo outer robe patterned with chrysanthemums in red, gold and white over a green kimono scattered with small dots and a red under-collar. Behind her rises a screen of sweeping stylised feathers in olive, brown and rust, suggesting a phoenix. A gold lacquered box stamped with floral crests and a long pipe rest before her, and her name is inscribed at the left near the artist's signature and seal.

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.