Two women pause with a paper fan and lacquer boxes

A standing woman in a black kimono patterned with pale grey cloud swirls and small pink flowers holds a round white fan to her mouth. A seated companion in a red floral robe watches her, hands drawn together at her chest. Between them on the yellow ground sit a long lacquer box, two small red-and-yellow boxes on a white cloth and a bound wicker box. A vertical cartouche at upper right gives the series and subtitle; the signature and a censor's seal appear at 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.