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Lot Essay
This is one of five half-length portraits, each on a different aspect of love (Deeply hidden love, and Obvious love, for example). No courtesans appear in the set. Shaved eyebrows suggest this beauty is married. Each design was embellished with a pink mica background.
For another impression in the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet, Paris see Narazaki Muneshige, ed., Gime bijutsukan II (Musée Guimet II), vol. 7 of Hizo ukiyo-e taikan/Ukiyo-e Masterpieces in European Collections (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1990), pl. 10; and Asano Shugo and Timothy Clark, The Passionate Art of Kitagawa Utamaro (Tokyo and London: Asahi Shimbunsha and The Trustees of the British Museum, 1995), pl. 133. For another in the Huguette Berès Collection, Paris see Narazaki Muneshige, ed., Beresu korekushon (Berès Collection), suppl. vol. of Hizo ukiyo-e taikan/Ukiyo-e Masterpieces in Western Collections (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1991), pl. 51 (ex. Vever Collection, sold Sotheby's, London, Highly Important Japanese Prints, Illustrated Books and Drawings from the Henri Vever Collection: Part I, 26 March, 1974, lot 175). For another in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston see Money L. Hickman, Bosuton bijutsukan 3/Museum of Fine Arts, Boston III, vol. 3 of Ukiyo-e shuka (Tokyo: Shogakukan, 1978), pl. 3. For one in the Hiraki Ukiyo-e Museum, Yokohama see Kikuchi Sadao, Utamaro, vol. 5 of Ukiyo-e taikei (Tokyo: Shueisha, 1973), pl. 27. For another impression see Shibui Kiyoshi, Utamaro, vol. 13 of Ukiyo-e zuten (Tokyo: Kazama Shobo, 1964), p. 48. Other impressions are in The Art Institute of Chicago, and The British Museum. London.
For another impression in the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet, Paris see Narazaki Muneshige, ed., Gime bijutsukan II (Musée Guimet II), vol. 7 of Hizo ukiyo-e taikan/Ukiyo-e Masterpieces in European Collections (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1990), pl. 10; and Asano Shugo and Timothy Clark, The Passionate Art of Kitagawa Utamaro (Tokyo and London: Asahi Shimbunsha and The Trustees of the British Museum, 1995), pl. 133. For another in the Huguette Berès Collection, Paris see Narazaki Muneshige, ed., Beresu korekushon (Berès Collection), suppl. vol. of Hizo ukiyo-e taikan/Ukiyo-e Masterpieces in Western Collections (Tokyo: Kodansha, 1991), pl. 51 (ex. Vever Collection, sold Sotheby's, London, Highly Important Japanese Prints, Illustrated Books and Drawings from the Henri Vever Collection: Part I, 26 March, 1974, lot 175). For another in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston see Money L. Hickman, Bosuton bijutsukan 3/Museum of Fine Arts, Boston III, vol. 3 of Ukiyo-e shuka (Tokyo: Shogakukan, 1978), pl. 3. For one in the Hiraki Ukiyo-e Museum, Yokohama see Kikuchi Sadao, Utamaro, vol. 5 of Ukiyo-e taikei (Tokyo: Shueisha, 1973), pl. 27. For another impression see Shibui Kiyoshi, Utamaro, vol. 13 of Ukiyo-e zuten (Tokyo: Kazama Shobo, 1964), p. 48. Other impressions are in The Art Institute of Chicago, and The British Museum. London.