Two courtesans lean close beneath a fan of golden hairpins

Two courtesans in half-length lean together against a plain grey ground, the nearer looking up toward her companion. Both wear towering black coiffures pierced by a dense fan of pale yellow ornamental hairpins. The nearer figure's kimono is patterned with a green ivy scroll on a russet-brown ground and opens at the collar to a pink under-robe; the figure behind wears a salmon robe. The nearer figure holds a slender rod at an angle across her body. A vertical cartouche at upper right carries the series title, a name label sits at upper left, and Utamaro's signature and seals appear at right.

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.